Ruling party elects Yoon's ally Kim Gi-hyeon as new leader

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Sat, September 23, 2023 | 10:29

Politics

Ruling party elects Yoon's ally Kim Gi-hyeon as new leader

Posted : 2023-03-08 20:50

Updated : 2023-03-09 12:07

New People Power Party Chairman Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon clinches his fist during his acceptance speech after being elected as the new leader of the ruling party during its national convention at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps

Kim's win to help strengthen president's grip on PPP

By Nam Hyun-woo

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) elected Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon as its new chairman, Wednesday, as the four-term lawmaker won more than 50 percent of the total votes during the party's national convention.

Kim, who has been described as the most favored candidate by President Yoon Suk Yeol, won 52.93 percent of the votes to cruise past his rival, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, who secured 23.37 percent of the ballots, making a runoff between the top candidates unnecessary.

Ahn has been facing doubts about his support for the president's political views. And the outcome of the vote allowed Yoon to strengthen his grip over the party ahead of next year's general election, because Kim will yield his right to nominate the party's candidates.

Chun Ha-ram, who became popular for his comments critical of the president and his close confidants, received 14.98 percent of the votes, while former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn secured 8.72 percent of the ballots.

The PPP held a four-day vote from Saturday to Tuesday, with 461,313 out of 837,236 paying party members casting their ballots by either mobile or voice-based voting. Voter turnout hit an all-time high of 55.1 percent.

"The party chairman is obliged to devote himself to the success of the PPP and the Yoon administration and lead the party to an overwhelming victory in the general election next year," Kim said in his acceptance speech. "We shall unite and achieve an overwhelming victory next year."

Kim added that he will serve great leaders such as Ahn, Chun and Hwang to make an inclusive party. But Ahn left the convention center when Kim began his acceptance speech.

New People Power Party Chairman Kim Gi-hyeon, fourth from left, raises his arms after being confirmed as the ruling party's new leader during its national convention at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. The three other candidates were Hwang Kyo-ahn, left, Ahn Cheol-soo, third from right and Chun Ha-ram, second from right. Yonhap

Ahn has been crying foul about the election process, claiming that the presidential office and lawmakers close to Yoon unfairly supported Kim. Ahn sought to reverse Kim's lead in a runoff. But party members rallied behind Kim, who is anticipated to focus on supporting Yoon on the legislative side.

The president attended the national convention at KINTEX convention hall in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province and delivered a speech before the party to announce the result.

"We should all be one team under the new party leadership," Yoon said. "There is no winner or loser in elections within our PPP."

President Yoon Suk Yeol gestures before delivering a speech at the ruling People Power Party's national convention at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Yonhap

During the election, not only Chun but three anti-Yoon candidates who also ran to become members of the party's Supreme Council failed to win, signaling a stronger grip over the party by the president, who took office last May.

Although Kim called for unity within the party, pundits say the new chairman will not be able to ignore being influenced by the presidential office in nominating figures outside of the pro-Yoon faction for next year's general election. In this case, the party may suffer from factional feuding, weakening its momentum to become a majority party.

Another task for Kim is resolving the party's standoff with the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and gaining political leverage in the National Assembly dominated by the main opposition party. The DPK holds 169 out of 299 seats.

"Including DPK Chairman Lee Jae-myung, I will meet leaders of opposition parties as soon as possible and seek their opinions for bipartisan cooperation to take care of the public livelihood," Kim said during a press conference.

namhw@koreatimes.co.kr