Governor Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi's Political Standing Rises After Supreme Court Ruling... Lee Nak-yeon and Lee Jae-myung Form Top Duo in Ruling Party Presidential Race
[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] "I ask the central government ministries to also take an interest in the proposal by the Gyeonggi Province governor to utilize modular housing as temporary residential facilities."
It is noteworthy that President Moon Jae-in expressed interest in Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung's proposal during the "Emergency Situation Inspection Meeting for Heavy Rain Response" on the 4th. Although the idea was aimed at responding to the heavy rains in the central region, it could be interpreted as a political message beyond its usual meaning.
The meeting was chaired directly by President Moon and conducted via video conference. Attendees included local government heads such as Governor Lee, Chungnam Governor Yang Seung-jo, Chungbuk Governor Lee Si-jong, Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon, as well as related ministers including Minister of the Interior and Safety Jin Young and some vice ministers.
President Moon's request to the central ministries to pay attention to Governor Lee's proposal implies that this should be reflected not just as a Gyeonggi Province policy but as a government policy. It is a statement that politically supports the proposal.
Governor Lee's political stature has risen sharply since the Supreme Court issued a ruling to overturn and remand his case with a not-guilty verdict. According to a Realmeter survey commissioned by OhmyNews conducted from the 27th to 31st of last month targeting 2,560 adults nationwide aged 18 and over, Lee closely trailed Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Nak-yeon (25.6%) with 19.6% in the next presidential preference poll.
Lawmaker Lee's support dropped by 5.2 percentage points compared to the June survey, while Governor Lee's support rose by 4.0 percentage points. For detailed information on the poll, refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.
Lawmaker Lee, who served as the first Prime Minister under the Moon Jae-in administration, had been running solo in the ruling party's presidential race for some time but now faces a threat to his lead. From the sitting president's perspective, it is advantageous to have support dispersed among multiple ruling party presidential candidates rather than concentrated on one, to maintain government momentum until the end of the term.
From Governor Lee's side, it is impossible to ignore the experience of political backlash after forming an uncomfortable relationship with the pro-Moon (pro-Moon Jae-in) support base during the 2017 presidential primary. This is why there are expectations that Governor Lee will try to establish an image as a collaborator in national governance.
The sudden passing of the late Park Won-soon, former Seoul Mayor, has also increased the significance of Governor Lee's role, which is another point to watch. From the Blue House's perspective, the outcome of the Seoul mayoral election in the April 2022 by-elections remains uncertain.
Therefore, the need to strengthen the partnership with Gyeonggi Province, which has the largest population among local governments, has grown. The first test is expected to be the response to the heavy rains in the central region.
President Moon urged cabinet members and local government heads, saying, "Along with quarantine response, I hope that a smooth cooperation system between the central government and local governments in disaster response will become a strong shield protecting the safety of the people."
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