與 "Jung Se-kyun and Jung Eun-kyung Seoul Mayor Candidates? Completely Unfounded"

Some Media "Democratic Party to Draft Jeong Sye-gyun and Jeong Eun-kyeong for Seoul Mayoral Election"

Jung Eun-kyung, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] The Democratic Party of Korea has denied reports that Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Director Jung Eun-kyung will be drafted as candidates for the Seoul mayoral by-election next year.

Hong Jung-min, the Democratic Party floor spokesperson, told reporters after a briefing at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 19th, when asked if the party leadership had discussed drafting Prime Minister Chung and Director Jung as Seoul mayoral candidates, "There has been no discussion, and it is completely unfounded."

Chief spokesperson Choi In-ho also sent a message to the press on the same day, stating, "If it were the opposition party, they might exercise such imagination, but in a situation where we have to run the government, public officials should not be treated like that," adding, "That is not the case. If such a thing happens, it would be a serious mistake that disregards the lives of the people."

According to the Prime Minister's Office and others, Prime Minister Chung himself reportedly said, "I would rather have served as the mayor of my hometown, Jinan County, than as the mayor of Seoul."

Earlier that day, a media outlet reported that within the Democratic Party, Director Jung Eun-kyung was being mentioned as a potential candidate for Seoul mayor alongside Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun.

Meanwhile, the Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections are scheduled for April next year. The Democratic Party has mentioned Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun, and lawmakers Woo Sang-ho, Park Joo-min, and Park Yong-jin as potential candidates for Seoul mayor.

On the People Power Party side, potential Seoul mayoral candidates include lawmakers Kwon Young-se, Park Jin, Yoon Hee-sook, former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Yeouido Institute Director Ji Sang-wook, Secretary-General Kim Sun-dong, former lawmakers Kim Yong-tae, Na Kyung-won, Lee Hye-hoon, and Seocho District Mayor Cho Eun-hee.