Sohn Hak-kyu, Minsaengdang Proportional Representation No. 2... Candidate Registration Closed but Interference Occurs (Summary)

Within the party, amid criticism of "Noyok"... No Youth Future Generation in my 10th district

Son Hak-kyu, leader of the Bareunmirae Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 21st and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The Minsaeng Party's Nomination Management Committee has decided to place Son Hak-gyu, the Standing Election Countermeasures Committee Chairman, at number 2 on the proportional representation list. Son applied for the proportional representation nomination the previous evening, and the committee reportedly conducted an interview at dawn. Within the party, there is considerable backlash against Son, with some calling it "greedy ambition."

According to a key Minsaeng Party official on the 26th, the number 1 spot on the proportional representation list was assigned to an external recruit, Professor Jeong Hye-seon of the Catholic University Graduate School of Health, number 2 to Son, and number 3 to Co-Representative Kim Jeong-hwa. It is also known that not a single young future generation member was included within the top 10 spots.

Members from the Bareunmirae Party, Alternative New Party, and Democratic Peace Party factions have criticized Son regardless of factional lines. A Minsaeng Party insider said, "(The party) was already struggling, but even the justification of the future generation has disappeared," adding, "The proportional representation candidate deadline has passed, so how could Son do this?"

Earlier, on the 23rd, the deadline for Minsaeng Party’s district and proportional representation candidate applications, rumors surfaced that Son had applied for the proportional representation nomination, but the Nomination Management Committee denied this. The committee also issued an official statement the previous day, saying, "Reports that a specific candidate was strategically nominated are not true." Son had previously stated on the 5th of last month, while serving as the Bareunmirae Party leader, "I do not think of becoming a proportional representation lawmaker for free."

There are also criticisms that the Minsaeng Party’s long-emphasized generational change toward the future generation has become meaningless. Son himself stated at his resignation press conference as Bareunmirae Party leader on the 24th of last month, "The future generation, who will be responsible for the future of the Republic of Korea, must become the main actors in politics, achieve generational change, and reform the old political structure; this is our way to survive."

Within the party, there are even concerns about additional defections by affiliated lawmakers. Currently, the Minsaeng Party has a total of 20 members of the National Assembly. If even one of them defects, the Minsaeng Party will lose its status as a negotiating group again. Kim Kwang-soo, a former Democratic Peace Party member, announced his defection from Minsaeng Party yesterday and declared his intention to run as an independent. Spokesperson Kim Jeong-hyun also declared defection on the 26th after being excluded from the proportional representation candidate shortlist process.