Two by-elections to watch as springboards for next presidency

Ahn Cheol-soo, center, the chairman of the presidential transition committee, gestures during a session hosted by the Circle Foundation at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, Seoul, on Saturday. Yonhap

By Kang Hyun-kyung

• Published May 1, 2022 4:18 PM KST
• Updated May 1, 2022 6:31 PM KST

Ahn Cheol-soo, Lee Jae-myung may run in June 1 by-elections

By Kang Hyun-kyung

The June 1 local elections for mayors, governors and other local government positions have created a handful of open seats in the National Assembly, as seven lawmakers have won internal competitions to run in the elections on their parties' tickets. Lawmakers are required to resign from their parliamentary seats when running in local elections for other positions.

Song Young-gil, the former chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), won the party's internal primary on Friday to select the DPK candidate who will face a showdown with incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon in the Seoul mayoral election. His current constituency, Gyeyang District in the western port city of Incheon, is one of the seven electoral districts where by-elections will be held to elect lawmakers concurrently on June 1.

Many are watching who will run in Song's former electoral district on the DPK's ticket. Former DPK presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has been emerging as one of the most likely candidates to run in the by-election to resume his political career, this time as a lawmaker.

The former Gyeonggi governor has not officially mentioned his interest or plans to run in the local elections.

But his aides have.

Song, a confidant of Lee, made the case for Lee to run in the by-election on a radio show interview on April 29.

“I don't understand why people are gossiping about him possibly running in the by-election,” Song said, noting that there are several politicians who have resumed their political careers as lawmakers after they unsuccessfully ran for president. “He's the one who had garnered 16 million votes during the March 9 presidential election. If he joins the political arena again, I think his presence will surely help the parliament achieve national unity and political stabilization of the nation.”

Song said what he said during the radio show is his own view, and he had not discussed the matter with Lee.

Considering that the electoral district largely favors liberal candidates, as seen in previous election results, political pundits say Lee may be tempted to mull running in the by-election there as the next step in his political career. To become a DPK candidate again in the next presidential election, Lee needs to build a solid support base inside the party. Becoming a lawmaker will make it easier for him to proceed if he is looking for a second chance in the next presidential election.

Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of the presidential transition committee, is another presidential hopeful seeking another chance in the next presidential election. He is rumored to be interested in running in the June 1 by-election for the Bundang electoral district in Seongnam City that is vacant since Kim Eun-hye was elected the main opposition People Power Party's (PPP) candidate to run in the race for Gyeonggi Province governor.

Ahn, who was formerly a doctor, academic and anti-virus software entrepreneur before he entered politics, has neither confirmed nor denied this rumor.

Surrounded by reporters on April 29, he was asked if he had ever considered or was interested in running in the June 1 by-election in Bundang, but he declined to answer these questions directly.

His silence has sparked speculation that he may be interested in the by-election.

Ahn's plans after heading the presidential transition committee have drawn keen attention after he spoke openly about his unwillingness to join the incoming Yoon Suk-yeol government as the prime minister or another member of the Cabinet. Ahn simply said he plans to return to the party, without detailing in which capacity.

He has also raised the possibility that he might run in the competition to elect the PPP's chairperson next year.

Currently, Lee Jun-seok is in that role, Ahn said, and he doesn't imagine himself as the party's leader.

Lee Jun-seok said in a recent radio interview that he thinks Ahn is a good fit to run in the Bundang by-election, considering the fact that he started his IT company there. “So, he has a connection with the voters there,” said Lee. “But I would say that if he runs in the election, he should not expect to get elected automatically as the PPP's candidate. He will have to compete against the other candidates in the party's internal competition.”