Heavyweights, rookies vie for opposition party leadership

Former lawmaker Na Kyung-won of the main opposition People Power Party announces her bid to run for the party leadership during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

By Nam Hyun-woo

The race for the leadership of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is heating up, with 10 heavyweight and rookie politicians placing their bid for the party chairpersonship.

Na Kyung-won, former floor leader of the PPP's predecessor, the Liberty Korea Party, announced her bid to run for the leadership of the PPP on Thursday, pledging she will make the party a “melting pot” for all opposition presidential candidates and she will serve as “brushwood” for the fire.

“I will make the PPP into a melting pot, in which all differences between regions, generations and social strata can be melted and mixed,” she said during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul. “When I become the chairwoman of the PPP, I will reach out to all figures who can be opposition presidential candidates, and I believe it is important to share ideas and build trust with them.”

Na served as a lawmaker of the conservative party during the previous 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Assemblies, but the streak was snapped after losing in last year's general election. Earlier this year, she ran for the PPP's primary for Seoul mayor candidate, but was defeated by Oh Se-hoon, who is now serving as Seoul mayor.

Regarding former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who is emerging as a leading opposition presidential hopeful, Na said, “Yoon has to join the PPP in order to become a presidential candidate and take office.”

Yoon, who is yet to make any political movements, is being wooed by the PPP and other opposition parties, after being surveyed as the most preferred conservative presidential contender in several polls. During his tenure as prosecutor general, he has been at odds with the Moon Jae-in administration over investigating former justice ministers and prosecutorial reform.

Lee Jun-seok, former member of the People Power Party's Supreme Council, announces his bid to run for the leadership of the party at its headquarters on Yeouido in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

Along with Na, Lee Jun-seok, former member of the party's Supreme Council, also officially announced his bid for the leadership contest, Thursday.

The 36-year-old is yet to be elected as a lawmaker, but is enjoying high support from the younger generation with his remarks addressing issues largely concerning those in their 20s and 30s. In a poll conducted by PNR earlier this week, he gained a 20.4 percent support rating in questions asked to PPP leadership, outscoring Na with 15.5 percent.

“If we want the young generation to continue to support us, we have to prioritize issues that matter to the young generation,” Lee said, referring to the PPP's landslide victory in the April 7 mayoral by-elections for Seoul and Busan. The victory was attributable to the young generation's support for the conservative party in apparent disappointment with the Moon administration's real estate policies.

Lee said such a landslide victory was unexpected, and the party needs to break away from its conventional practices and make big changes to “seek permanent support from the young generation.”

Including Na and Lee, eight other candidates have so far announced their bids to run for the PPP leadership. They include five-term lawmakers Cho Kyung-tae and Joo Ho-young, four-term lawmaker Hong Moon-pyo, three-term lawmakers Cho Hae-jin and Yoon Young-seok, first-term rookies Kim Woong and Kim Eun-hye and former lawmaker Shin Sang-jin.

The PPP will hold a preliminary race for them and name five finalists for the June 11 party convention when the leader will be chosen.