Ruling party nominates former liberal PM unopposed for Daegu mayor

Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, who declared his bid for the Daegu mayoral race in the upcoming June 3 local elections, raises his fists during a nomination interview at the ruling Democratic Party headquarters in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Friday picked former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum as its sole candidate for Daegu mayor, a traditional conservative stronghold, in the upcoming June 3 local elections.

The DP's nomination committee announced that it unanimously chose Kim as the candidate as the party seeks to gain an upper hand in the local elections by fielding one of its heavyweights in the city long regarded as an unwavering stronghold for the conservative bloc.

"Kim is one of the candidates who symbolizes the DP's longstanding efforts to overcome regionalism," Kim Yi-soo, the committee's chairperson, said.

"We believe his experiences as a four-term lawmaker, the interior minister and the prime minister make him fully qualified to lead the city," he added.

Kim served as prime minister from 2021 to 2022 under former liberal President Moon Jae-in. Kim has also served as interior minister.

Kim, a native of Sangju, neighboring Daegu, unsuccessfully ran for the Daegu mayoralty in 2014 and later won a parliamentary seat in a key Daegu district in 2016.

Speaking to reporters after a nomination interview earlier in the day, Kim vowed to listen to the voices of the citizens of Daegu if the DPK's stance clashes with the public sentiment of the local residents.

"We cannot unconditionally follow the party's stance," he said.