[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] On the 15th, the Democratic Party of Korea decided to additionally designate eight areas, including Uiwang-Gwacheon and Gimpo Gap in Gyeonggi Province, as strategic nomination districts. Accordingly, Shin Chang-hyun, a member of the National Assembly representing Uiwang-Gwacheon, became the first incumbent Democratic Party lawmaker to be excluded from the nomination process.
The Democratic Party's Nomination Management Committee held a plenary meeting in the afternoon and reviewed nominations for 43 districts. Among them, eight were designated as strategic nomination districts, three as additional candidate recruitment districts, nine as primary election districts, and 23 as single-candidate nomination districts.
Among the eight strategic nomination districts, two have incumbent lawmakers: Uiwang-Gwacheon and Gimpo Gap in Gyeonggi Province. The remaining districts are ▲Dongjak-eul in Seoul ▲Namyangju-byeong in Gyeonggi ▲Pyeongtaek-eul in Gyeonggi ▲Daedeok-gu in Daejeon ▲Buk and Gangseo-eul in Busan ▲Yangsan Gap in Gyeongnam, all of which are held by conservative opposition incumbents.
Gimpo Gap was designated as a strategic district after lawmaker Kim Du-kwan changed his candidacy to Yangsan in Gyeongnam at the request of the party leadership. Uiwang-Gwacheon is Shin Chang-hyun’s constituency, and many view this as effectively Shin’s 'nomination rejection.'
The three districts for additional candidate recruitment are Gangseo Gap in Seoul, Cheonan Gap in Chungnam, and Jeungpyeong-Jincheon-Eumseong in Chungbuk. Notably, Gangseo Gap is the constituency of lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, and it was also where former lawmaker Jeong Bong-ju, who was recently disqualified as a preliminary candidate, had applied for nomination.
Among the nine primary election districts, two have incumbent lawmakers: Namyangju Gap in Gyeonggi, represented by Jo Eung-cheon, and Naju-Hwasun in Jeonnam, represented by Son Geum-ju. Lawmaker Jo will compete against preliminary candidates Kwak Dong-jin and Hong Young-hak, while lawmaker Son will face Kim Byung-won and Shin Jeong-hoon.
Additionally, in Gyeonggi Gimpo Eul, preliminary candidates Kim Jun-hyun, Park Jin-young, and Lee Hoe-soo will compete; in Gyeonggi Yeoju-Yangpyeong, Baek Jong-deok, Choi Jae-gwan, and Han Yoo-jin; in Busan Gijang, Kim Han-seon, Park Gyeon-mok, and Choi Taek-yong; in Ulsan Dong-gu, Kim Tae-seon and Hwang Bo-sang-jun; in Gyeongbuk Gumi Gap, Kim Bong-jae and Kim Cheol-ho; in Jeonnam Mokpo, Kim Won-i and Woo Ki-jong; and in Jeonnam Yeosu Eul, Kim Hoe-jae and Jeong Ki-myeong will compete in primaries.
The 23 districts confirmed for single-candidate nominations are mostly in the Yeongnam region, which is a challenging area for the Democratic Party. All the candidates confirmed for single nominations are non-incumbents, many of whom are former government or Blue House officials. Former Minister of Science and ICT Yoo Young-min was nominated unopposed in Busan Haeundae Gap, and former Secretary to the Prime Minister Bae Jae-jung was nominated unopposed in Busan Sasang. Former Vice Minister of Strategy and Finance Kim Yong-jin will run in Gyeonggi Icheon, and former Blue House Senior Administrative Officer for Balanced Development Oh Jung-gi will run in Pohang Buk-gu without a primary.
Other single-candidate nominations include ▲Busan Geumjeong (Kim Kyung-ji) ▲Daegu Jung-gu and Nam-gu (Lee Jae-yong) ▲Daegu Dong-gu Gap (Seo Jae-heon) ▲Daegu Dong-gu Eul (Lee Seung-cheon) ▲Daegu Suseong (Lee Sang-sik) ▲Daegu Dalseo Gap (Kwon Taek-heung) ▲Ulsan Ulju (Kim Young-moon) ▲Gangwon Gangneung (Kim Kyung-soo) ▲Chungbuk Chungju (Kim Kyung-wook) ▲Gyeongbuk Gimcheon (Bae Young-ae) ▲Gyeongbuk Andong (Lee Sam-geol) ▲Gyeongbuk Yeongju-Mungyeong-Yecheon (Hwang Jae-seon) ▲Gyeongbuk Yeongcheon-Cheongdo (Jung Woo-dong) ▲Gyeongbuk Yeongyang-Yeongdeok-Bonghwa-Uljin (Song Seong-il) ▲Gyeongbuk Goryeong-Seongju-Chilgok (Jang Se-ho) ▲Gyeongnam Changwon Masanhwoewon (Ha Gwi-nam) ▲Gyeongnam Changwon Jinhae (Hwang Ki-cheol) ▲Gyeongnam Sacheon-Namhae-Hadong (Hwang In-seong) ▲Gyeongnam Miryang-Uiryeong-Haman-Changnyeong (Jo Seong-hwan) were also confirmed as single-candidate nominations.
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