Confidants to Park, late Roh emerge
By Park Si-soo
With the virtual completion of selection of candidates, the ruling Saenuri Party and the largest opposition Democratic United Party are gearing up their campaigns for the April 11 National Assembly elections.
As is the case with previous selections, the latest one produced a factional struggle to jockey for position in the do-or-die race, causing mass desertions of unsuccessful contenders and their creation of new parties.
No matter what the aftermath may be, the two parties are now increasingly flexing their political muscles, vowing to mobilize all campaign tools available in a bid to win the majority of seats in the 300-seat unicameral parliament.
The upcoming vote is crucial for both parties since its results will shape the overall political landscape leading toward the Dec. 19 presidential poll.
The ruling Saenuri Party aims to defend its dominant position, despite flagging ratings in opinions polls, by obtaining at least 120 seats, while the main opposition DUP looks to sweep more than half of the seats on the back of favorable public sentiment.
Saenuri with new faces
The candidate lineup of the ruling Saenuri Party shows its efforts to revamp itself with new faces.
Nearly 42 percent of 144 incumbent lawmakers of the Saenuri Party were not selected or voluntarily decided not to seek reelection. This was somewhat predictable as its interim emergency leadership committee head Park Geun-hye had pledged to oust members embroiled in “unsavory scandals” in a desperate move to curb the party’s declining support.
The lineup also shows the rise of figures loyal to Park, a leading presidential contender of the conservative party, and the fall of supporters of President Lee Myung-bak.
Only 15 proven loyalists to Park were not selected, as opposed to 32 figures categorized as members of the pro-Lee faction. Among selected pro-Lee lawmakers were Lee Jae-oh and Chung Mong-joon, but their key political confidants, Jin Soo-hee and Jeon Yeo-ok were cut in what they described as a “political massacre,” leaving little room for the two survivors to revive the pro-Lee faction.
Relations between President Lee and Park have been sour since the two vied for the conservative party’s ticket for the presidential election in 2007. This long-running bad blood between the two has led many pro-Lee lawmakers see their non-selection as political reprisal.
The ruling party initially reserved 30 percent of candidacies for women, but the outcome shows only seven percent. The average age of the candidate is 55.3, up from 51.6 in the previous selection in 2008.
By alma mater, Seoul National University came first with 70, followed by Korea University with 27, and Yonsei University with 15.
The youngest candidate is Son Su-jo, a 27-year-old political novice running in the Sasang electoral district in Busan.
Pro-Roh grips DUP
The candidate list of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) shows a clear rise of those loyal to the late former President Roh Moo-hyun.
The DUP was created by those upholding the political legacy of the late former President Kim Dae-jung, Roh’s predecessor. Yet their leadership in the party has rapidly dwindled as the DUP’s decision-making posts, including chairmanship, were swept up by pro-Roh figures.
Of 223 people running in the election on the DUP ticket, 90 people, or 40.3 percent, are viewed as pro-Roh figures. Only 34 loyalists to Kim were selected.
The ruling party filled 11 percent of candidates with women, lower than its initial target of 15 percent.
The youngest candidate is Kim Yong-min, a 38-year-old online commentator, and Kim Chul-yong, a 38-year-old activist promoting friendship between Korea and Kyrgyzstan. The oldest candidate is 74-year-old lawmaker Hong Jae-hyung, running for the Chungjusangdang electoral district.