People's Party dominates Jeolla region

By Kim Hyo-jin

The minor opposition People’s Party secured an overwhelming victory in the southwest Jeolla region in the general election, Wednesday.

According to vote counting as of 10:45 p.m. the party won 23 out of 28 seats that were up for grabs.

The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) only took two seats in North Jeolla Province, one in South Jeolla Province and secured no seats in Gwangju. The remaining two seats went to the ruling Saenuri Party ― rare victories for the conservative party in the opposition’s home turf.

The results are expected to shift the balance of power in the opposition bloc. The support from the Jeolla region has been a critical factor in the previous presidential elections for opposition candidates.

In Gwangju, Chun Jung-bae, a five-term lawmaker who co-heads the minor opposition People’s Party beat the MPK’s Yang Hyang-ja, a former Samsung Electronics executive by a large margin in the Seo-B district. Incumbent lawmakers Kwon Eun-hee, Kim Dong-cheol, and Park Joo-sun also won victories.

In South Jeolla Province, Park Jie-won, a three-term lawmaker and a confidant of the late President Kim Dae-jung, defended his seat in Mokpo and former South Jeolla Province Governor Park Joon-young also clinched victory.

Candidates of the People’s Party contested closely with MPK candidates in North Jeolla Province though they swept most of the districts, seven of 10 in the region. Chung Dong-young, a former presidential candidate and ex-unification minister under the Kim Dae-jung administration, led slightly over the MPK’s Kim Sung-joo as of 10:45 p.m. in the Jeonju C district.

“The result reflects the ongoing negative sentiment against former MPK Chairman Moon Jae-in and his faction in the party,” said Choi Chang-ryol, a professor at Yongin University. “Moon’s current visit to the region on the campaign trail and humble gestures were not enough to soothe public anger over his causing internal conflicts and a split in the party.”

Dozens of MPK lawmakers quit the party starting at the end of last year and joined forces with Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo who launched the splinter group People’s Party.

They blamed Moon and those loyal to the political legacy of the late President Roh Moo-hyun for pushing vested interests in party affairs and deepening factional strife with lawmakers who were not in their faction, most of whom were based in the Jeolla region.