Satellite parties confirm proportional representation candidate lists
An official of Civil Together, a satellite party of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, enters the party office on Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday, the day it announced the list of proportional representation candidates for the April 15 general election. Yonhap
By Jung Da-min
Three weeks ahead of the April 15 general election, “satellite parties” of the ruling party and the main opposition party have confirmed their candidate lists for proportional representation.
Both the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) decided earlier to create “separate paper parties” for the proportional representation seats in a bid to gain more seats under a new electoral system.
The DPK's satellite party Civil Together, created by pro-Moon Jae-in civic groups and several minor liberal parties, finalized its list of 35 candidates for proportional representation, Tuesday.
Shin Hyun-young, a professor of family medicine in Myongji Hospital, gained the top spot in the list. She is known for her contribution in the nationwide COVID-19 containment efforts as a member of a taskforce at the Korean Academy of Family Medicine and the head of Myongji Hospital's COVID-19 epidemiology team.
Including Shin, the first 10 candidates are civic organizations, giving them a better chance of being awarded a seat, while 20 “former” DPK members who “left” the ruling party and joined Civil Together received spots 11h to 20. The remaining five are reserve candidates from civic groups who would succeed to candidate spots if necessary.
Among the former DPK members are Choi Hye-young, a ballerina-turned-physical rehabilitation professor, and Kim Hong-gul, the youngest son of the late former President Kim Dae-jung. The former DPK members on Civil Together ticket are expected to return to the ruling party after the election.
Meanwhile, the UFP's satellite Future Korea Party (FKP) also confirmed its candidate list for proportional representation Monday. The final list has come after the order of several candidates was reversed following conflict between former FKP chief Han Sun-kyo and UFP Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn over who should come first. After the conflict, Han resigned his position, resulting in people picked by Hwang being put in the top spots of the candidate list.
Rep. Won Yoo-chul, front right, leader of the Future Korea Party, a satellite party of the main opposition United Future Party, speaks to reporters after paying respects at the Seoul National Cemetery, Tuesday, together with its proportional representation candidates. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho
The candidates on the final list are mostly figures with conservative views on security, diplomacy and the economy. They included Yoon Joo-kyung, the granddaughter of freedom fighter Yoon Bong-gil who was given the top spot; Yoon Chang-hyun, a business administration professor at the University of Seoul and former head of the Korea Institute of Finance; and Ji Seong-ho, a North Korean defector who advocates for human rights improvement in the North.
Meanwhile, the minor liberal Open Minjoo Party, created by activists who support former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and headed by former DPK members Chung Bong-joo and Rep. Sohn Hye-won, also confirmed its candidate list.
Its 20 candidates include President Moon Jae-in's former spokesman Kim Eui-kyum, former presidential secretary for civil service oversight Choe Kang-wook and Hwang Hee-seok, former head of the Human Rights Bureau of the justice ministry appointed by former minister Cho.