Rep. Chung ready to run mayoral race

Rep. Chung Mong-joon, left, of the governing Saenuri Party, speaks to Rep. Rhee In-je at a meeting with senior members at the party’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. After the meeting, Chung told reporters that he will formally announce his candidacy for mayor of Seoul, Sunday. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

Rep. Chung Mong-joon of the ruling Saenuri Party said Wednesday that he will officially declare his candidacy for the Seoul mayoral election this Sunday.

“The worry is now over, and happiness has begun… I will declare my entry in the (mayoral) race Sunday,” said the seven-term lawmaker at a meeting with reporters at the National Assembly.

Ahead of the June 4 local elections, Chung is expected to participate in the ruling party’s primary to select a final candidate for Seoul mayor, along with Supreme Council member Lee Hye-hoon and former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik.

According to various opinion polls, Chung is taking the lead in a hypothetical race against the two, while running neck and neck against current Mayor Park Won-soon of the main opposition Democratic Party.

The latest survey conducted by MBC and pollster Research and Research Tuesday even showed that Chung is ahead of Park with 41.3 percent against the latter’s 35 percent.

Chung’s bid is expected to intensify internal conflicts within the governing camp between supporters of President Park Geun-hye and others.

It has been said that the pro-Park faction is supporting the former prime minister, while others are gathering around Chung.

Rep. Lee Jae-oh, five-term lawmaker who was one of the closest confidants of Park’s predecessor Lee Myung-bak, already said that he is willing to assume the chairmanship of Chung’s campaigning camp.

Chung became embroiled in a quarrel with Saenuri Party floor leader Choi Kyung-hwan, a noted pro-Park figure, when the latter launched complaints over Chung and other 40 lawmakers’ visit to China last week.

At the time, Choi asked Chung to downsize the number of lawmakers, saying the plenary session was scheduled for Feb. 20 to handle various bills.

Also, debates still remain over what he should do with his Hyundai Heavy Industries stocks, the total value of which approaches 1.7 trillion won. He is the largest shareholder of the company because he holds a 10.1-percent stake.

The Public Servant’s Ethics Law stipulates that the high-ranking public officials are obliged not to hold shares worth more than 30 million won in firms considered relevant to their duties.

Under a so-called “blind trust system,” they are required to sell off the excess within a month after inauguration, or place them under the control of a financial institution. The institution then takes additional step to dispose of the stocks within 60 days.

If the trust evaluation committee under the Ministry of Security and Public Administration makes a decision that their positions as high-ranking officials have nothing to do with their businesses, they are able to maintain the stock.

Chung and his aides are believed to have concluded that he could maintain shares even if he is elected Seoul Mayor because some experts claim the Ulsan-headquartered shipbuilder is not associated with the Seoul Metropolitan government enough.

But others argue that the nation’s 14th largest group would be able to benefit from the city government.

One of his aides said, “Chung is willing to follow relevant laws and regulations.”

In the meantime, some members of the ruling party are said to be opposed to Chung’s bid, raising concerns that voters will be more attracted by Mayor Park who has the image of an ordinary person, rather than Chung, who is the controlling shareholder in the Hyundai Heavy Industries Group.