Leaders in fierce campaigning

Rep. Moon Jae-in, right, chairman of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), sits in an amphibious armored vehicle at the Marines second division in the central west city of Gimpo, Wednesday. Moon acknowledged North Korea torpedoed the frigate Cheonan for the first time since the incident took place five years ago in 2000. / Yonhap

By Kim Hyo-jin

The respective chairmen of rival parties are gearing up their campaigns for the April 29 by-elections, more than a month before polling day.

Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung and his counterpart Moon Jae-in of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) reached out to voters of Seogu and Ganghwa-B districts in Incheon, Wednesday.

Kim had a meeting with party members there, shoring up support for its candidate Ahn Sang-soo. Ahn, the former Incheon mayor, was selected as the party’s candidate, Sunday.

In the meantime, Moon held the party’s Supreme Council meeting in the district, showing party’s full support for its candidate Shin Dong-keun.

“Shin tried to clear city’s debt, along with former Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil. He is ready to promote the economy for Incheon people’s livelihoods,” Moon said, citing that Ahn was the culprit who deepened the city’s liabilities.

Shin, the former vice governor of Incheon, was selected to stand in the district against former Incheon Mayor Ahn, Sunday.

Starting from Incheon, a head-to-head battle between party chairmen began in full swing. They are expected to continue local canvassing with voters for the remaining days.

Though a comparatively small number of districts will be contested, the upcoming by-election is meaningful for the two leaders because it will be their first face-off since their inauguration.

The election results are likely to influence which party will take the initiative ahead of the 2016 general elections. Also, the leaders’ status in the party is at stake depending on the results.

Former NPAD’s co-leader Rep. Kim Han-gil and Ahn Cheol-soo stepped down to take responsibility for a crushing defeat in the by-elections in July last year. In 2011, some party leaders of the Grand National Party, now the ruling Saenuri Party, also had to resign in the wake of a defeat in its home turf in the October by-election.

Amid the ever-increasing rivalry, Kim plans to join the party rally to gather upward momentum in Gwangju, today, and Moon will visit Jungwon in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, to woo voter support for its candidate Chung Hwan-seok.

Along with Seogu-B in Gwangju, these two districts are up for grabs in the April 29 by-elections. Three parliamentary seats were vacated by lawmakers of the now-dissolved Unified Progressive Party following a Constitutional ruling in December.

The parliamentary seat for the Incheon district also became vacant on March 12 after the election of former Saenuri lawmaker Ahn Deok-soo's election was declared to be invalid because he violated the Election Act.