Former PM's political ambition put to test

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Tue, September 26, 2023 | 08:14

Politics

Former PM's political ambition put to test

Posted : 2020-06-09 16:04

Updated : 2020-06-09 17:19

Rep. Lee Nak-yon of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), left, arrives at a Cabinet meeting with President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae in January. Lee is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Moon, who took party leadership before becoming presidential candidate of his party. Yonhap

By Do Je-hae

Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) heavyweight Rep. Lee Nak-yon is facing a tough contest for the party leadership.

While it is certain that the post, if taken, will pave the way for a higher chance in the 2022 presidential election for Lee who has already been leading the list of potential presidential candidates, he has been met by other contenders within the party who also aim for the presidential candidacy or who are in different factions within the party.

Prospects for his victory at the party convention on Aug. 29 to take the helm of the party seemed all but certain right after the April 15 general election.

The former prime minister defeated the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) candidate Hwang Kyo-ahn, then UFP chairman and another former prime minister, in Jongno-gu, one of the most coveted constituencies in Seoul which has produced several former presidents. Political watchers have credited Lee's extensive experience in policymaking both at the central and regional levels as some of the reasons that qualify him as a potential presidential candidate. Before leading the Cabinet as President Moon Jae-in's first prime minister, he served as governor of South Jeolla Province.

But weeks after the election, the sentiment within the party about Lee taking the party leadership is not entirely positive.

At first, the competition seemed to be in Lee's favor, but now it is expected that some other ruling party heavyweights, such as former Interior Minister Kim Boo-kyeom, could also join the race.

On Tuesday, Kim, who is known to have presidential ambitions, told fellow lawmakers that he would give up his presidential bid if he becomes the party leader, and would complete the leader's two-year term. Kim failed to win in a constituency in Daegu, a traditional stronghold for conservative politicians, but he still has a large support base within the party as a longtime ally of former President Roh Moo-hyun.

Rep. Hong Young-pyo, a former DPK floor leader and four-term lawmaker, is also planning to run for the party leadership. He and other DPK lawmakers such as Rep. Kim Doo-kwan, a two-term lawmaker, former South Gyeongsang provincial governor and presidential aide to former President Roh, have been critical of people with presidential ambitions running for party leadership.

They cite the party's regulations, which state a party leader who wants to run in the presidential election must quit the party post a year before the presidential election date. This means that if Lee becomes the party leader and still intends to run in the presidential election slated for March 9, 2022, he must quit the party leadership by March 9, 2021 ― serving as party leader for only seven months.

"This means that the party must hold another convention to choose a new leader in May 2021 and yet another convention in August to choose a presidential candidate. This is not a desirable situation for the party," Hong said in a recent radio interview.

Rep. Kim Doo-kwan also pointed out the problem of multiple conventions. "We are facing an unprecedented economic crisis due to COVID-19. We cannot spend the entire year preparing for party conventions when there is so much to do to prepare for the post-COVID-19 period," he said on a radio program, Monday.

jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr