[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] The Democratic Party's Nomination Management Committee will step in to manage the 'Cho Kuk internal conflict' triggered by the nomination competition between Assemblyman Geum Tae-seop and Attorney Kim Nam-guk for Seoul Gangseo-gap on the 21st. With Attorney Kim's relocation to another district being seriously considered, some voices of discontent are emerging regarding the party's efforts to resolve the issue.
The Democratic Party's Nomination Committee will hold a meeting in the afternoon to continue reviewing the nominations for electoral districts. In particular, they will discuss the controversy that arose after Attorney Kim applied for an additional nomination in Gangseo-gap, Assemblyman Geum's district.
The committee's discussion on the Gangseo-gap controversy follows the directive of Party Leader Lee Hae-chan. Earlier, Leader Lee stated regarding the clash between Assemblyman Geum and Attorney Kim, "We will consider ways to ensure that these two excellent resources are used valuably." As tensions escalated with signs of internal strife centered around these two figures, the party decided to intervene directly to manage the situation.
Former Prime Minister and co-chair of the party's election committee, Lee Nak-yeon, also said in a radio interview on the same day, "This issue did not originate from the party's intentions from the beginning. It seems to have started from the opinions of those involved with the two individuals, but it should not have escalated this far," adding, "The decision regarding the two individuals' positions should not be delayed much longer."
Regarding mediation measures, former Prime Minister Lee said, "The party has likely studied this well," and "I believe there have been consultations with the individuals involved. I expect the matter to be resolved cleanly soon."
Currently, Attorney Kim's strategic nomination in another district is being seriously considered. This suggests that the incident will likely conclude with Assemblyman Geum maintaining his hold on the district.
In particular, there is an assessment that Assemblyman Geum's strategy shone in this incident. Regarding the first challenger, former Assemblyman Jeong Bong-ju, Geum did not respond individually until Jeong was excluded from the nomination, thus avoiding escalating the controversy. Against Attorney Kim, the author of the 'Cho Kuk White Paper,' Geum skillfully referenced the party's Achilles' heel?the 'Cho Kuk incident'?to turn the unfavorable situation to his advantage.
However, even if the district issue between the two is settled, the controversy is expected to continue. Firstly, supporters of Attorney Kim, often labeled as 'Moonppa' (a derogatory term for ardent supporters of President Moon Jae-in), are likely to oppose his district relocation, making it difficult for the noise to subside easily. Additionally, there is a prospect that the 'Cho Kuk issue' could spread to other districts, further expanding the controversy.
Issues of 'fairness' with other candidates may also arise. A Democratic Party official said, "The clash between the two, which caused internal strife, is almost tantamount to an act harmful to the party beyond mere nomination competition," adding, "Compared to other prospective candidates who were excluded from nominations without clear reasons, the party's treatment of these two individuals is unfair."
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