Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Main opposition’s candidate recommendations face questions
Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung attends a town hall policy meeting with small business owners in Seoul, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps
By Nam Hyun-woo
Doubts grow over barrier to anti-Lee factions' candidacies
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is facing questions from within over its standards on recommending candidates for the general elections that are scheduled for April 10 this year.
DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung is stressing the necessity for the party to field fresh candidates, but complaints are mounting from inside that standards are not being applied equally.
During a DPK Supreme Council meeting on Wednesday, Lee said, “Leaves are very precious, but they must be broken for new buds to grow,” referring to the party’s lawmaker candidate recommendation process.
Hours before the remark, Lee also wrote on Facebook, “New wine must be put into new bottles,” adding, “We must move forward to the future.”
The comments were interpreted as targeting veteran lawmakers who have served multiple terms because a number of so-called “old guard” members of the party gave up their reelection bids after having conversations with Lee in recent weeks.
DPK Rep. In Jae-keun, a three-term lawmaker and former pro-labor activist, on Wednesday announced that she will not run in the April 10 elections, after holding conversations with Lee. According to media reports, Lee held a meeting with In recently at the latter’s request, during which Lee persuaded In to give up her bid.
During their discussions, In recommended former Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye for her constituency of Seoul’s Dobong A, but Lee refused, saying he wanted another candidate.
Lee also urged Moon Hak-jin, a two-term former lawmaker who is seeking to run in Gwangju B of Gyeonggi Province, to give up his reelection bid. Moon wrote on Facebook that he received a phone call from Lee on Jan. 29 whereby the party chairman asked him not to run, citing a survey tally.
Along with them, a number of incumbent or former lawmakers of the party are rumored to have received requests from the party chairman.
Former five-term lawmaker Lee Jong-kul on Wednesday denied rumors that he received such a request from the chairman and will push forward with his campaign.
Reportedly, the party chairman held a late-night meeting with his aides on Wednesday to discuss whether the party should give candidacy to several serving lawmakers including Reps. Noh Woong-rae and Ki Dong-min. Both Noh and Ki are standing trial over respective corruption allegations.
Former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae / Korea Times file
Questions are mounting over the chairman’s moves because those being potentially sidelined do not include those who are considered loyalists of the DPK chairman.
Choo Mi-ae, a former five-term lawmaker and former justice minister for former President Moon Jae-in, is widely anticipated to be recommended as a candidate without a primary for one of the constituencies that the DPK sees as strategically important. Choo was once considered one of the members of the pro-Moon faction in the DPK but is now branding herself as a loyalist to the current DPK chairman.
On the other hand, Lim Jong-seok, Moon’s former chief of staff, is now at loggerheads with the DPK leadership, as he insists on running in a Seoul constituency despite opposition from party members.
Pundits anticipated breakaways among DPK’s non-mainstream members may take place if doubts persist among DPK Chairman Lee’s standards for candidate recommendation. Rumors are growing that the Reform Party is now making efforts to recruit Rep. Sul Hoon, a five-term lawmaker and a critic of the DPK chairman.
Against this backdrop, the DPK announced Thursday that it will recommend a single candidate in 10 constituencies and hold primaries in 12 constituencies. A party official said the candidate recommendation committee made announcements on less sensitive areas first.