By-elections a wake-up call for Moon, ruling party

Rep. Hong Young-pyo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, center, prepares for a party meeting at the National Assembly, Thursday. / Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

Political strife between liberal and conservative parties is expected to deepen following Wednesday's by-elections for two National Assembly seats, considered a barometer of voter sentiment for the general elections in April next year.

The liberal Justice Party's Yeo Young-guk won in Seongsan-gu in Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province, while the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP)'s Jung Jeom-sik won in the Tongyeong-Goseong district.

However, the fact Yeo won by a narrow margin in Seongsan-gu, which was a liberal stronghold, is considered a de facto defeat for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which did not field a candidate to support Yeo as a unified liberal candidate.

Rep. Park Jie-won, of the minor Party for Democracy and Peace, criticized the DPK, saying: “The DPK was too optimistic about the election result and arrogant.

“There is no winner from the DPK in the election. I warned the DPK for months that the party will face political turmoil involving the issues on North Korea, the economy, labor, irregularities and jurisdiction.”

Experts say the result could indicate public sentiment turning against the Moon Jae-in administration.

Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, said the defeat in the Tongyeong-Goseong district could hurt the DPK.

He urged the party to examine the economic slump because the economy will be a key agenda item in the general election as people are angry about the country's situation.

LKP candidates and its leadership told conservative voters during the campaign that the government's nuclear-free policy had harmed the local economy there.

Insiders said the results show widespread antipathy toward the Moon administration in the Gyeongsang provinces, possibly due to recent political scandals, including his spokesman's alleged property speculation.

Backed by the victory, LKP Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn will likely cement his leadership of the party and step up pressure on Moon in preparation for the general election next year.

Hwang expressed confidence about the election outcomes and criticized the Moon administration Thursday, saying: “This neck-and-neck race after the unfrequented unification of candidates in Seongsang-gu in Changwon, which is considered as the sacred place for liberals, is the reflection of the people's decision not to tolerate the blind leadership of the administration.

“It is an order from the people to immediately change the policies of the government. If the administration continues to be obsessed with political collusion, it will face a more severe backlash.”

He also said he will take preparatory steps for next year's general election.

Meanwhile, it is largely expected that the liberal Justice Party will launch a negotiating bloc with another minor party ― the Party for Democracy and Peace ― which will give the minor parties a larger voice in legislative activities and could give them a casting vote in key negotiations with the larger parties. The bloc between the two parties was formed in April last year with their 20 lawmakers but disbanded following the Justice Party's Roh Hoe-chan's death.