By Lee Tae-hoon
The seven candidates in the ruling party’s leadership race, began their 10-day campaign rally Friday in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
The governing Grand National Party (GNP) plans to hold several joint rallies including one in Busan, also on Friday, Gwangju on Sunday and Daejeon on Monday as well as five television debates.
The winner of the seven-way race will not be able to run in the next presidential election in December 2012. The conservative party made it a rule that its chairman must leave the top post at least 18 months prior to the election.
The seven candidates who will run at the GNP Convention on July 4 are Reps. Won Hee-ryong, Kwon Young-se, Hong Joon-pyo, Nam Kyung-pil, Park Jin, Na Kyung-won and Yoo Seung-min.
In the Daegu rally, Won stressed that he would put top priority on balanced national growth and help the southeastern region land a science industry cluster.
Kwon said in his speech that he would not allow lawmakers responsible for the party’s humiliating defeat in the April 27 by-elections to take key GNP posts.
Hong claimed that he is the ideal candidate as he has a strong resolve to push major reforms required in the party.
Nam, Park and Yoo underlined the importance of the party reestablishing ties with Cheong Wa Dae, while acting as a check and balance for the government.
Na, the only female candidate, said that she will urge the government to keep its promise to build a new airport in the southern region.
The July 4 convention is important in that the newly-picked GNP chairman will lead the party into the country’s two most important elections next year ― a general election to pick lawmakers in April and the presidential election in December.
All of the seven candidates are under 60, the youngest being Nam at 46. Most of their constituent bases are in the Seoul metropolitan areas.