Kim Jong-in, Seo Cheong-won, Son Hak-gyu... The Heyday of 'Old Boys'

Kim Jong-in (80) Returns to Politics as Future United Party General Election Committee Chairman
Son Hak-gyu (73) Receives No. 2 Proportional Representation Spot for Minsheng Party
Seo Cheong-won (77) Takes No. 2 Proportional Representation Spot for Uri Gonghwadang... Aiming for 9th Term

On the morning of the 26th, Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the United Future Party, visited the residence of Kim Jong-in, former emergency committee chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, to greet him. Former Chairman Kim accepted the position of overall election campaign committee chairman of the United Future Party on the same day. Photo by United Future Party

[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-Young Hwang] The ‘Old Boys’ have returned.

Kim Jong-in, who is 80 years old this year, has returned to politics as the commander in charge of the main opposition party’s election campaign, while Seo Cheong-won (77) and Sohn Hak-kyu (73), both in their 70s, are aiming to enter the 21st National Assembly through proportional representation.

Former Emergency Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party, Kim Jong-in, is serving as the General Election Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, overseeing the entire election strategy.

This position was previously held by Representative Hwang Kyo-ahn.

Representative Hwang is expected to effectively delegate the overall election command role to former Chairman Kim and focus on his own candidacy in the Seoul Jongno district for the general election.

On the morning of the 26th, newly appointed General Election Committee Chairman Kim met with Representative Hwang at his home and accepted the position, stating, "If we exert maximum effort, some desired results may be achieved."

Kim added, "I’m not sure if I can demonstrate my capabilities as much as expected, but I have my own criteria for judgment," and "I have also thought about how the election should be conducted."

Former Bareunmirae Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu is giving a greeting at the press conference for candidate Park Jae-hong's election on the 24th.
Photo by Busan Branch of the Minsheng Party

Former Bareunmirae Party Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu applied for nomination as a proportional representation candidate for the Minsaeng Party.

In the proportional representation candidate list released by the Minsaeng Party on the 26th, Sohn’s name is listed as number 2 on the proportional list, following Professor Jung Hye-sun of Catholic University, who was recruited externally and placed at number 1.

Sohn, who served four terms in the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 18th National Assemblies, is now aiming for a fifth term through proportional representation.

If the party vote share in the general election does not exceed 3%, the Minsaeng Party will not gain any proportional representation seats.

On the 4th, Assemblyman Seo Cheong-won held a press conference at the National Assembly Press Hall with Kim Moon-soo (right) and Cho Won-jin (left), co-leaders of the Liberty Republican Party, regarding former President Park Geun-hye's prison letter urging "to unite around the major opposition party."
Photo by Yonhap News

Seo Cheong-won, an eight-term lawmaker known as the ‘eldest brother of the pro-Park faction,’ is challenging for a ninth term through proportional representation.

Seo’s name was listed as number 2 on the proportional representation candidate list announced by the Our Republican Party on the 26th for the April 15 general election.

Our Republican Party is based on the so-called ‘Taegukgi faction,’ which opposes the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye.

Seo Seong-geon, the Our Republican Party’s nomination committee chairman, explained, "We finalized candidates based on patriotism, identity with liberal democracy and market economy system, expertise, integrity and morality, participation in Taegukgi rallies, and fighting spirit."

Our Republican Party merged with the Liberty Unification Party, led by Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, chairman of the Christian Council of Korea, and former Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo, to launch the Liberty Republican Party on the 3rd. However, the Liberty Unification Party faction, including former Governor Kim, left the party on the 21st, just three weeks later, and the party name was changed back to Our Republican Party.