Jongno by-election to draw as much attention as presidential poll

Former presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok, right, speaks during local elections in support of Park Soo-hyun of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in this April 2020 file photo. Im is considered a possible candidate for the ruling DPK to run in the Jongno by-election next March. Korea Times file

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The legislative by-elections for two constituencies in Seoul, to be held in March along with the presidential election, are gaining attention, with several political heavyweights being mentioned as potential candidates.

Currently, the two National Assembly seats representing Jongno and Seocho are empty.

Of them, the one for Jongno, located in the heart of Seoul, has remained vacant since former ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Nak-yon gave up the post in September to focus on campaigning for the party's presidential primary. However, he lost the primary race to Lee Jae-myung.

Jongno has political significance, as winning the central Seoul constituency has given a foothold for the winner to become a national-level politician with a higher chance of running for president. Yun Po-sun, Lee Myung-bak and Roh Moo-hyun were all Jongno representatives who later became presidents.

Due to the significance, and the fact of the by-election being held together with the presidential election, each party is expected to field a candidate who has enough of a political presence and public profile and can team up with its presidential candidate as a sort of “running mate.”

From the DPK, former presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok, who currently works as head of the Foundation of Inter-Korean Cooperation, has been brought up as a possible candidate for Jongno.

Former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae might also run for the Jongno post. The former five-term lawmaker of Seoul's Gwangjin B constituency served as the leader of a predecessor of the DPK. Recently, she ran for the party's presidential primary as the sole female contender but lost to Lee Jae-myung. Choo had a lunch meeting with the presidential candidate last week, positioning herself as an ally to him.

Other female political figures including former Foreign Affairs Minister Kang Kyung-wha and former SMEs and Startups Minister Park Young-sun are also mentioned as possible candidates.

Main opposition People Power Party (PPP) leader Lee Jun-seok, second from left, speaks with students at the University of Ulsan, Oct. 29. Lee is mentioned as one of the PPP's possible choices for the symbolic Jongno constituency by-election. Yonhap

In the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), its leader Lee Jun-seok is often mentioned as the party's potential candidate for the Jongno post, despite Lee remaining ambiguous.

The 36-year-old politician lost in elections three times for Seoul's Nowon C constituency, where he was born, before becoming the leader of the PPP in June.

Jongno residents have tended to favor liberal candidates, so the young party leader is considered capable among the PPP members with his high public profile and support from the younger generation in their 20s and 30s.

However, running for the by-election might weaken his leadership and the party's control of the presidential election. Lee neither confirmed nor denied the rumors of him running for Jongno.

Former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choe Jae-hyeong, who resigned from the post and joined the PPP, is also considered a possible PPP nomination for Jongno. Choe, who was critical of the current Moon Jae-in administration over a controversial audit regarding the economic feasibility of a nuclear plant, made a presidential bid with the PPP but was eliminated in the second round of the primary.

Another post in Seocho became vacant after PPP lawmaker Yun Hee-suk resigned in August over suspicions surrounding her father's land speculation deal.

Located in southern Seoul, Seocho is a stronghold for the conservative opposition party and female contenders from both parties are emerging for this by-election.

Cho Eun-hee of the PPP stepped down as Seocho District head to run for the National Assembly seat. PPP Supreme Council member Jung Mi-kyung and another PPP member Jun Hee-kyung showed intention to run for the Seocho post.

In the DPK, Lee Jung-geun, who ran to represent Seocho in the National Assembly in 2016 and 2020 and district head in 2018, is likely to be nominated for the by-election.