Kim Jae-won and 6 Others Cut Off... United Party, 60% Renewal in TK (Comprehensive)

Joo Ho-young Strategically Nominated for Suseong-gap... Matchup with Kim Boo-kyum
Eight Incumbents Including Kwak Sang-do Receive Nominations
Additional PK Announcements... Yoo Jae-joong Cut Off, 'Unified Faction' Jang Ki-pyo Nominated

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] Six incumbent lawmakers from the Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK) region of the United Future Party were largely cut off (excluded from nomination) in the April general election nominations on the 6th. Including five who declared they would not run, the turnover rate exceeds 60%.

The United Future Party's nomination management committee announced the results of the nomination screening at the National Assembly on the same day.

There are a total of 20 incumbent lawmakers from TK in the United Future Party. Among them, five declared they would not run, and six were cut off: ▲Kim Jae-won of Sangju-Gunwi-Uiseong-Cheongsong, Gyeongbuk ▲Kang Seok-ho of Yeongyang-Yeongdeok-Bonghwa-Uljin, Gyeongbuk ▲Baek Seung-joo of Gumi Gap, Gyeongbuk ▲Kim Seok-ki of Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk ▲Kwak Dae-hoon of Dalseo Gap, Daegu ▲Jung Tae-ok of Bukgu Gap, Daegu. Considering the delay in announcing the two constituencies in Pohang, where lawmakers Kim Jeong-jae and Park Myung-jae are located, the turnover rate among incumbents reaches 61%.

Among the incumbent lawmakers, six have been virtually confirmed for nomination by receiving uncontested recommendations in their constituencies: ▲Kwak Sang-do of Jung-gu Nam-gu, Daegu ▲Kim Sang-hoon of Seo-gu, Daegu ▲Yoon Jae-ok of Dalseo Eul, Daegu ▲Chu Kyung-ho of Dalseong-gun, Daegu ▲Song Eon-seok of Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk ▲Lee Man-hee of Yeongcheon-Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk. Lawmaker Joo Ho-young, whose constituency was Suseong Eul, was strategically nominated for Suseong Gap and will face Kim Boo-kyum of the Democratic Party of Korea. Proportional representative lawmaker Lim Eui-ja received an uncontested nomination in Gyeongbuk Sangju-Gunwi-Uiseong-Cheongsong, the constituency of lawmaker Kim Jae-won.

In addition, the following received uncontested nominations: ▲Yang Geum-hee, president of the Korea Women Voters Federation, Bukgu Gap, Daegu ▲Lee Doo-ah, former lawmaker, Dalseo Gap, Daegu ▲Kim Yong-pan, former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency chief, Dalseo Byeong, Daegu ▲Kim Hyung-dong, deputy director of the Korean Federation of Trade Unions Central Legal Office, Andong, Gyeongbuk ▲Kim Young-sik, former president of Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi Si Eul, Gyeongbuk ▲Hwang Heon, former MBC anchor, Yeongju-Mungyeong-Yechon, Gyeongbuk.

There are six constituencies with primary elections. In Daegu Donggu Eul, the constituency of lawmaker Yoo Seung-min who declared he would not run, former Donggu district mayor Kang Dae-sik, former army lieutenant colonel Kim Young-hee, and former Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Kim Jae-soo will compete in a three-way primary. In Daegu Donggu Gap, a match was set between former lawmaker Ryu Seong-geol and former Daejeon MBC president Lee Jin-sook.

In Daegu Bukgu Eul, the constituency of Democratic Party lawmaker Hong Ui-rak, a primary was confirmed among former Uijeongbu District Prosecutor's Office Goyang branch chief Kwon Oh-sung, former Daegu Metropolitan City Deputy Mayor Kim Seung-soo, and former Grand National Party Daegu City Party Secretary Lee Dal-hee. In Suseong Eul, where lawmaker Joo Ho-young moved to Suseong Gap, a primary will be held between former Gyeongsangbuk-do Deputy Governor Lee In-seon and former Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office chief prosecutor Jeong Sang-hwan.

In addition, primaries were confirmed in ▲Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk (Kim Won-gil, Park Byung-hoon) ▲Gumi Si Gap, Gyeongbuk (Koo Ja-geun, Kim Chan-young, Hwang Jae-young) ▲Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk (Yoon Doo-hyun, Jo Ji-yeon) ▲Yeongyang-Yeongdeok-Bonghwa-Uljin, Gyeongbuk (Park Hyung-soo, Lee Gwi-young) ▲Goryeong-Seongju-Chilgok, Gyeongbuk (Kim Hang-gon, Jeong Hee-yong). Proportional representative incumbent lawmaker Kim Gyu-hwan applied for nomination in Daegu Donggu Eul but was excluded from nomination.

Chairman Kim Hyung-oh of the nomination committee explained in response to a question about whether the past Jinbak nomination controversy was reflected, "We did not keep that in mind. The nomination results were not based on factional colors, lineage, or political factions, but on our own firm fairness, standards, and data."

He added, "The main focus in TK nominations was diversity more than any other region. We recommended many female candidates either uncontested or through primaries in the region known as the heart of conservatism. There have been criticisms that the party had many people related to the party and legal circles, but even in the TK region, you can see that many people from the media, academia, labor unions, military, and professionals were recommended." He continued, "Please pay attention to the increase in women's participation, youth, and young people." He explained that nominating proportional incumbent lawmaker Lim Eui-ja in the TK stronghold was also a consideration of diversity.

Meanwhile, the nomination committee also announced additional nomination screening results for the Busan-Gyeongnam (PK) region. Among PK incumbents, three-term lawmaker Yoo Jae-jung, representing Suyeong-gu, Busan, was virtually cut off, confirming a primary among Kwon Seong-joo, Lee Jong-hoon, and Jeon Bong-min. In Gimhae Si Eul, Gyeongnam, Jang Gi-pyo, former director of the Jeon Tae-il Foundation who joined the United Future Party through the integration promotion committee, was given priority recommendation. Chairman Kim said, "It will symbolize our party's expansion of outreach, image renewal, and attitude toward integration."

In Bukgu, Ulsan, former lawmaker Park Dae-dong was uncontestedly recommended, and in Gimhae Si Gap, Gyeongnam, Hong Tae-yong, former chairman of the Liberty Korea Party Gimhae Si Gap party committee, was uncontestedly recommended. In Nowon-gu Eul, Seoul, lawmaker Lee Dong-seop (proportional representative), who switched from the Bareunmirae Party, was confirmed for nomination.

In addition, primaries were confirmed in ▲Seogu Donggu, Busan (Kwak Gyu-taek, Ahn Byung-gil, Jung Oh-gyu) ▲Jingu Eul, Busan (Lee Seong-gwon, Lee Heon-seung, Hwang Gyu-pil) ▲Saha-gu Gap, Busan (Kim So-jung, Kim Cheok-su, Lee Jong-hyeok) ▲Namgu Gap, Ulsan (Lee Chae-ik, Choi Geon) ▲Cheonan Si Eul, Chungnam (Shin Jin-young, Lee Jeong-man) ▲Seongsan-gu, Changwon, Gyeongnam (Kang Ki-yoon, Choi Eung-sik). Former Army General Park Chan-joo, who was accused of power abuse in the nomination committee, applied for nomination in Cheonan Si Eul, Chungnam, but was excluded from the primary and eliminated.