Democratic Party Primary Matchups Revealed... 'Incumbents vs. Former District Mayors' More Intense Than General Election

On the morning of the 9th, Won Hye-young, Chairperson of the Nomination Management Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, and committee members are conducting interviews for the 21st general election district National Assembly candidates at the Democratic Party of Korea Central Party Office in Yeouido, Seoul.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-young Hwang] The Democratic Party of Korea has revealed the preliminary matchups as it finalized the 1st and 2nd round primary election districts for the April 15 general election candidate selection.

On the afternoon of the 15th, the Democratic Party’s Nomination Management Committee held a full meeting and conducted candidate screening for 43 districts, deciding on nine districts for primaries, including Namyangju Gap in Gyeonggi Province (primary among preliminary candidates Kwak Dong-jin, Jo Eung-cheon, and Hong Young-hak) and Naju-Hwasun in Jeollanam-do (Kim Byung-won, Son Geum-ju, Shin Jeong-hoon).

Eight districts were designated as strategic nomination districts, three districts will have additional candidate recruitment, and 23 districts were decided as single-candidate nomination districts.

The Democratic Party had previously announced 52 districts for the 1st round primaries on the 13th.

Accordingly, among the 234 districts where candidate recruitment was conducted, candidates have been confirmed in 23 districts as of this day.

In 61 districts, candidates will be decided through primaries reflecting 50% votes from party members and 50% from opinion polls.

Among the 61 districts where primaries are confirmed, some districts are drawing attention as their preliminary elections are as challenging as the general election itself.

The most fiercely competitive districts are expected to be those where incumbent lawmakers and former local government heads face off.

Preliminary candidates who previously served as local government heads not only have recognition comparable to incumbent lawmakers but also have solid organizational support.

Among the districts where primaries are confirmed, five districts feature contests between incumbents and former local government heads, including Seoul Eunpyeong-eul, where former two-term Eunpyeong District Mayor and former Blue House Secretary for Local Development Kim Woo-young competes against first-term lawmaker Kang Byung-won.

Similarly, former two-term Seongbuk District Mayor and former Blue House Civil Affairs Secretary Kim Young-bae is running in Seongbuk Gap, the district of three-term lawmaker Yoo Seung-hee.

Lee Hae-sik, former Gangdong District Mayor and spokesperson, has challenged lawmaker Shim Jae-kwon in Seoul Gangdong-eul, and former Geumcheon District Mayor Cha Seong-su is competing against lawmaker Lee Hoon in Seoul Geumcheon-gu.

Former two-term Naju Mayor and former Blue House Secretary for Agriculture and Fisheries Shin Jeong-hoon is contesting in Naju-Hwasun, Jeollanam-do, against lawmaker Son Geum-ju of the People’s Party.

There are also districts where former Blue House officials have challenged incumbent lawmakers, and the results remain to be seen.

Former Blue House Press Secretary Yoo Song-hwa has thrown her hat into the ring in Seoul Nowon Gap, the district of first-term lawmaker Ko Young-jin, and former Blue House Secretary for Social Innovation Kim Sung-jin is competing against first-term lawmaker Kim Byung-gi in Seoul Dongjak Gap.

Since former Blue House officials are challenging incumbent lawmakers classified as 'pro-Moon' (supporters of former President Moon Jae-in), these districts are attracting attention regarding who will secure the ticket to the general election.

Among the districts where Democratic Party primaries are confirmed, the only district where incumbent lawmakers face each other is Gyeonggi Anyang Dongan Gap, where six-term lawmaker Lee Seok-hyun and proportional representative lawmaker Kwon Mi-hyuk are competing.