[Inside Chodong] Is the Presidential Primary Drama a Happy Ending?

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] When asked to name the hottest presidential candidate selection process in the history of Democratic Party-affiliated parties, many recall the year 2002. This is due to the intense memories of the national primary drama.

The 2002 Democratic Party primary was regarded as a drama, but its conclusion was anticlimactic. Of the seven candidates who entered the race, five withdrew on their own midway. Before the primaries in key populous regions such as Gyeonggi and Seoul, it was said that the contest was effectively over. Ultimately, only two candidates (Roh Moo-hyun, Chung Dong-young) completed the race.

In terms of primary enthusiasm, 2007 might have been even hotter. The presidential candidate selection process of the United Democratic New Party was a historic-level competition in many respects. The candidates who participated in the preliminary primary, in order of their assigned numbers, were Sohn Hak-kyu, Shin Ki-nam, Han Myeong-sook, Lee Hae-chan, Chun Jung-bae, Chung Dong-young, Choo Mi-ae, Yoo Si-min, and Kim Du-kwan ? a total of nine.

On the 15th, when the 21st National Assembly elections were held nationwide, a voter cast a precious vote at the 3rd polling station in Gyo-nam-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

They were all figures with competitiveness in terms of political experience, public recognition, and party organizational strength. Candidates Shin Ki-nam, Chun Jung-bae, Choo Mi-ae, and Kim Du-kwan, who were eliminated in the preliminary primary, were considered too valuable to drop out midway.

The five final candidates were Chung Dong-young, Lee Hae-chan, Sohn Hak-kyu, Han Myeong-sook, and Yoo Si-min ? all leading politicians and faction leaders within the party. The pro-Roh Moo-hyun faction advanced three candidates to the main party primary but unified behind Lee Hae-chan near the end of the election.

An interesting point was that the United Democratic New Party showed subtle optimism about the primary timing being two months later than that of the Grand National Party. Since the Grand National Party had selected its 2007 presidential candidate (Lee Myung-bak) in August, choosing a candidate in October was calculated to be advantageous for generating momentum. The Democratic Party, currently deliberating over postponing the presidential primary, needs to reflect on what they experienced in 2007.

To produce results that enhance competitiveness in the general election after delaying the primary, a so-called ‘beautiful primary’ must be held. Only then can the aftereffects of the primary be minimized while maximizing public interest. The 2007 United Democratic New Party primary succeeded in attracting public attention but was far from a happy ending. It was a disaster caused by overheated competition for the presidential candidate title.

The election became chaotic as organizational and mobilization tactics crossed the boundaries of illegality and lawlessness. Near the climax of the primary, police raids on the offices of leading candidates escalated conflicts among candidates to the extreme. This incident led to calls for postponing the primary, and the tensions between candidates intensified further.

The Grand National Party was busy managing its expressions as it watched a rival party self-destruct ahead of the general election. After many twists and turns, the Democratic Party ultimately chose Chung Dong-young as its final candidate. However, the fierce internal conflict resulted in irreparable aftereffects. Many Democratic Party supporters even gave up voting, which became the driving force behind a record-breaking defeat in Korean political history.

Why is the term ‘war’ attached to presidential candidate primaries? The more expectations grow for a beautiful primary, the greater the disappointment. Is it not an excessive expectation to assume that everyone will play fair in a contest where one must die for another to live?