[Politics, That Day...] The 1997 Shinhankukdang Runoff Vote That Sparked the 'Iinje Law' Debate

July 1997 New Korea Party Presidential Candidate Competition, Lee Hoi-chang vs. Lee In-je Showdown
August 2005 Establishment of Article 57-2 in Public Official Election Act to Block 'Intra-Party Primary Disputes'

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min]

Editor's Note‘Politics, On That Day...’ is a series planning corner that looks back on Korean politics through the ‘recollection of memories’ related to notable scenes, events, and figures.

On the 10th, under clear autumn weather, fluffy cumulus clouds floated gently in the sky beyond the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

In party primaries, the so-called ‘Lee In-je Prevention Act,’ a provision in the Public Official Election Act that prohibits refusal to accept primary results, is applied. The purpose of the Lee In-je Prevention Act is that when a party member participates in a primary to become a public office candidate, they must accept the results.

Although many know of the existence of this law named after politician Lee In-je, few know in detail when and why it was enacted. The history of the Lee In-je Prevention Act dates back to July 21, 1997, when the New Korea Party held a runoff vote for its presidential candidate.

The 1997 New Korea Party presidential primary featured candidates such as Lee Hoi-chang, Lee In-je, Lee Han-dong, Kim Deok-ryong, Lee Soo-sung, and Choi Byung-ryeol. The competition for second place was fiercer than for first place. As it was expected that the frontrunner Lee Hoi-chang would not secure a majority, the fight for second place to advance to the runoff intensified.

Candidates Lee In-je, Lee Han-dong, Kim Deok-ryong, and Lee Soo-sung engaged in a nail-biting contest within about a 1% point margin. Especially, Lee In-je and Lee Han-dong continued a grueling battle. By a margin as thin as a sheet of paper, Lee In-je secured second place and became the contender for the runoff vote.

On April 15, 2000, the day of the 21st National Assembly election, voters are casting their ballots at a polling station set up at Hyehwa Art Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Lee In-je performed well in the runoff, garnering over 40% of the votes, but he could not overcome the wall of Lee Hoi-chang, who had led the momentum. On July 21, 1997, the New Korea Party chose politician Lee Hoi-chang as its presidential candidate.

It seemed that the 1997 presidential election would be a showdown between Kim Dae-jung of the National Congress for New Politics and Lee Hoi-chang, selected by the New Korea Party (later renamed the Grand National Party). However, Lee In-je, who had participated in the final round of the primary, officially declared his candidacy for president after leaving the New Korea Party on September 13, 1997.

At that time, politician Lee In-je expressed his ambition to “build a completely different national party from the past by uniting creative figures from various fields and the pan-democratic reform forces.” Lee In-je’s departure and presidential bid shook up the 1997 presidential race.

The most troubled figure was politician Lee Hoi-chang. Although he had already defeated Lee In-je in the New Korea Party primary, he now faced him again in the general election. At that time, it was not illegal for a candidate who lost in the party primary to run in the election.

As a result, Lee Hoi-chang suffered significant damage due to Lee In-je’s presidential candidacy. The candidacy of Lee In-je from the National Party split Lee Hoi-chang’s strong regional voter base, leading to the first peaceful transfer of power in South Korean history (Kim Dae-jung of the National Congress for New Politics won).

Election campaign poster of candidate Lee In-je during the 15th presidential election

The so-called Lee In-je Prevention Act was enacted into law eight years later, in 2005. On August 4, 2005, Article 57-2 (Conduct of Party Primaries) was newly added to the Public Official Election Act.

This provision includes that if a party holds a primary (including opinion poll primaries), those not selected as candidates cannot register as candidates in the main election.

For example, ahead of the 2022 presidential election, if a person who participated in the Democratic Party of Korea or People Power Party primaries is not chosen as the final candidate, they cannot run as an independent or a candidate of another party by leaving their party.

The Lee In-je Prevention Act is significant in that it provides a legal basis to prohibit refusal to accept party primary results. However, there is also an interpretation that it is difficult to apply Article 57-2 of the Public Official Election Act when various evaluation factors (such as youth points, female points, etc.) are mixed in the primary method.

Nevertheless, running independently after refusing to accept the primary results is not an easy choice in reality. It carries the risk of violating the Public Official Election Act and securing competitiveness in the general election is difficult. The label of a politician who refused to accept primary results inevitably becomes a negative factor in voters’ judgment.