Jeong Munheon: "Hwang Kyo-ahn's Nomination Undemocratic... Will Run as Independent if No 'Fair Primary'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Regarding the decision by the United Future Party's Nomination Committee to select Hwang Kyo-ahn as the sole candidate for Seoul's Jongno District the previous day, former lawmaker Jeong Mun-heon expressed regret and stated that he would run as an independent if there is no primary election.

Former lawmaker Jeong, who had applied for nomination in Jongno District, said in a press release that "he deeply regrets the undemocratic nomination process of the United Future Party's Nomination Committee."

Jeong said, "I demand a 'fair primary' from the Nomination Committee. If this reasonable demand is not accepted, I will leave the party and run as an independent," adding, "I request the committee to carefully reconsider and review the decision."

He stated, "Strategic nomination just because the party leader is running ignores the spirit of unity and shows that the Nomination Committee has abandoned the standard of fairness," and added, "I cannot help but doubt whether the Nomination Committee of the unified party originally held the principles of 'spirit of unity' and 'democratic procedures'."

Former lawmaker Jeong pointed out, "It is a unified party, and the Nomination Committee should be that of a unified party," and said, "If the mistaken perception of absorption-type unification is directly reflected in the nomination, it is tantamount to breaking the unity."