Gubernatorial race heating up

Kim Sang-gon

Ex-PM Kim to announce bid for Seoul mayor

By Jun Ji-hye

Kim Sang-gon, former superintendent of the Gyeonggi Province Office of Education, declared his candidacy for the Gyeonggi Province gubernatorial ballot in the June 4 local elections, Wednesday.

The 65-year-old said, “I will change Gyeonggi Province, like I reformed the province’s education system.”

Speaking at the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly in Suwon, he spoke of his aspirations of shaping the province into a “happy welfare community” and “innovative city.”

While in the education office, Kim implemented a plan on free school meals, and adopted a student rights ordinance that banned corporal punishment and the inspection of students’ hair length and clothes.

Following his announcement, Kim is expected to be in a three-way primary with Reps. Won Hye-young and Kim Jin-pyo of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) to select a final candidate for the opposition’s new coalition party.

Independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, who agreed with DP Chairman Kim Han-gil on creating the coalition, has been working to persuade Kim to run in the gubernatorial race.

The two DP lawmakers entered the race as they were concerned the coalition leaders’ might select Kim as a final candidate without the primary.

Won said: “The primary is necessary. I suggest letting ordinary citizens participate in it. I believe this is a fair method for both the DP and the Ahn camp, considering that Ahn’s side does not have a sufficient number of members.”

For the ruling Saenuri Party, five-term lawmaker Nam Kyung-pil is cited as a frontrunner for the gubernatorial position, heating up the competitive atmosphere.

In the meantime, former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, who is currently staying in the United States, is expected to make his bid for Seoul mayor official after returning home this week.

Kim was the last prime minister under the administration of Lee Myung-bak, President Park Geun-hye’s predecessor.

He is expected to face fierce competition in the party’s primary with seven-term lawmaker Chung Mong-joon, who already declared his bid last week.

Kim and Chung’s clash has sent indications of a factional dispute within the governing party with speculation that Park’s supporters are helping Kim, while others are gathering around Chung.

Chung openly expressed complaints about the party’s “special treatment” of Kim.

The governing party postponed its deadline of potential candidates’ application for the party nomination to Saturday from Monday. Critics say this is because Kim returns to Korea on Friday.

“I wonder if the party has lost its fairness or if it communicates secretly with somebody,” said Chung in a recent radio interview.

Further speculation emerged that the former President Lee’s aides are also supporting the ex-prime minister, which they quickly denied.