PPP infighting deepens as Daegu primary narrows to 2

From left, People Power Party Daegu mayoral primary candidates Choo Kyung-ho, Yun Jae-ok, Choi Eun-seok, Yoo Yeong-ha, Lee Jae-man and Hong Suk-joon pose ahead of a televised debate at Daegu MBC in Suseong District, Daegu, Monday. Yonhap

Former Korea Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook speaks during a press conference at the People Power Party Daegu office in Suseong District, Daegu, Tuesday. Yonhap

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has narrowed its Daegu mayoral primary to two candidates — Reps. Yoo Yeong-ha and Choo Kyung-ho — Friday, moving into the final stage of the nomination process ahead of the June 3 local elections.

However, the race continues to be clouded by backlash from earlier eliminated contenders, including Rep. Joo Ho-young and former Korea Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook, raising the prospects of a split in conservative support in one of the party’s traditional strongholds.

The party’s nomination committee said the two finalists were selected from six preliminary candidates, based 70 percent on party member votes and 30 percent on public polling.

Reps. Yun Jae-ok and Choi Eun-seok, former lawmaker Hong Suk-joon and former Dong District Mayor Lee Jae-man were eliminated in the preliminary round.

The two finalists move on to a runoff between Yoo and Choo that includes a debate on Sunday and another round of voting and polling on April 24 and 25, with the party set to pick its final Daegu mayoral candidate on April 26.

Yet attention has remained focused less on the mayoral primary itself than on the fallout from the earlier cutoffs of Joo and Lee.

Joo has continued to challenge the legitimacy of the process after his request for an injunction to halt the cutoff was rejected by a court. He has indicated that he will appeal and has not ruled out running as an independent.

Lee has also continued to criticize the PPP. She has demanded the restoration of an expanded eight-candidate primary and continued with her own political activities.

In a recent radio interview, she said that the decision to exclude her from the primary was an insult to Daegu citizens and argued that the central party should not be allowed to disregard local support reflected in polling.

She suggested that the nomination process risks undermining voter trust, saying the party should not “arbitrarily cut off a candidate who was leading in surveys.”

These unresolved disputes are maintaining pressure on party leadership even as the primary enters its final phase.

While the nomination committee has rejected calls for an additional round of competition, neither Joo nor Lee has fully ruled out further action, leaving open the possibility that conservative votes could be split in the final mayoral contest if they pursue independent bids.

Rep. Joo Ho-young, a six-term lawmaker who was eliminated from the People Power Party’s Daegu mayoral primary ahead of the June 3 local elections, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, April 8. Yonhap

Concerns are also emerging within the PPP. Some primary candidates have publicly stressed the need for unity, saying the party must come together regardless of who wins the nomination.

However, given the accumulated tensions and mistrust during the primary process, there is growing doubt over whether the divisions can be resolved quickly.

The prolonged primary has also failed to generate expected momentum on the ground.

While candidates have been visiting traditional markets and local events to engage with party members and voters, there are concerns that campaign energy is being diluted as the final nominee has yet to be decided.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Kim Boo-kyum has stepped up his field campaign, meeting local groups and industry representatives as he shifts into general election mode.

Recent polls showed him running ahead of potential PPP rivals, though Kim himself has cautioned against reading too much into the numbers.

“The polling lead is an illusion,” he said in a recent interview, adding that the results may reflect the PPP’s failure to consolidate behind a single candidate.

He also emphasized that the race remains competitive on the ground, saying, “The public sentiment I feel in Daegu is very close.”

Kim warned against complacency, saying he was only “slightly ahead, at best,” and said voter sentiment could shift quickly as the PPP finalizes its nominee.