PM not to run for presidency
.jpg?w=728)
Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex in central Seoul, Wednesday. He announced his intention not to run for the presidency. / Korea Times photo by Ko Young-kwon
Koreans will cast ballots on May 9
By Choi Ha-young
Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said Wednesday he will not run in the presidential election.
“I know there are people wishing for my presidential bid, but I have decided not to run and instead will focus on ensuring a fair election and a stable transition of power,” he said during a Cabinet meeting. “Considering my status as acting president, it is inappropriate for me to run in the election.”
Hwang then vowed to oversee the election in a strict and fair manner.
At the meeting, the Cabinet approved holding the presidential election, May 9. The date of the election, originally scheduled for December, was rearranged after former President Park Geun-hye was removed from office when the Constitutional Court upheld her impeachment, Friday.
Hwang had been touted for weeks as a potential conservative candidate, but remained silent about any bid, triggering speculation and criticism from liberal politicians.
The Liberty Korea Party, the former ruling party, even adopted a rule to enable Hwang to join its primary race after quitting office, prompting protests from minor contenders.
In opinion polls, Hwang had been way ahead of other conservative presidential hopefuls.
So far, 11 people have declared their bids in the LKP’s primary but most of them have support of less than 1 percent in opinion polls, except for former South Gyeongsang Gov. Hong Jun-pyo, with about 3 percent.
“As conservative voters are divided, Hwang had no chance of winning even if he was backed by far-right elderly voters. Without proven political experience, he was likely to follow in ex-U.N. head Ban Ki-moon’s path if he declared a bid,” said Yoon Tae-gon, a senior political analyst at The Moa Agenda&Strategy.
Hwang was also dogged by various allegations.
He prevented the special counsel team from searching Park’s office and refused to extend the independent counsel team’s mandate. Furthermore, the liberal parties raised concerns that the acting president could interfere in the prosecution’s investigation of Park, by removing or destroying confidential documents in Cheong Wa Dae.
The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the People’s Party, the Bareun Party and the Justice Party welcomed Hwang’s decision.
“From now on, Hwang should manage the election in a fair and neutral manner,” DPK spokesman Rep. Youn Kwan-suk said.
Candidates of the DPK agreed. “This is a natural decision for Hwang, who was involved in the influence-peddling scandal along with Park,” the spokesman for Moon Jae-in, the leading DPK candidate, said.
“Hwang should concentrate on overseeing a fair election, with his apology to citizens as a former justice minister and now prime minister during Park’s administration,” the DPK runner-up, An Hee-jung’s campaign team said in a statement.
Candidate registration is on April 15 and 16, followed by the election campaign from April 17. For citizens residing overseas, polling places will be set up in 204 spots in 116 countries, from April 25 to 30. Those who cannot vote May 9 can register for early voting on May 4 and 5.