Disqualification Due to Party Rule Application Following Central Party Investigation Notification Despite Police Investigation Clearing
Aftermath of Central Party's Local Election Interference Allegations That Undermined the Public Office Commission Review
[Jangseong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Jo Hangyu] The Democratic Party Jeonnam Provincial Party Public Office Election Candidate Recommendation Management Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Public Office Committee) decided to exclude Yuduseok, Jangseong County Governor, from the nomination through the June 1 local election candidate screening on the 12th, causing the Jangseong County Governor election to be in turmoil.
Yuduseok, who was elected as an independent in Jangseong, a Democratic Party stronghold, in 2018, joined the Democratic Party in 2020 at the request of the local political circles to promote harmony among the county residents.
During his term, Governor Yu had established a solid position in the region with concrete achievements such as attracting the National Cardiovascular Center, so there are many rumors about this result and its background.
Amid various speculations about this outcome, the investigation results of the Democratic Party Central Party Ethics Inspection Team were notified to the Public Office Committee, and due to party regulations that require acceptance of these results, it is pointed out that the committee’s screening was merely a procedural compliance.
In Governor Yu’s case, the problematic incident was a lawsuit filed against him for instructing a contract public official to paint the roof yellow. Although the police cleared him of charges, the central party’s investigation results were notified as grounds for candidate disqualification, and due to regulations that the inspection team’s results conform to the party’s constitution and rules, even strong protests from local district assembly members could not be helped, according to reports.
Other incumbent heads of local governments who are under prosecution or facing trials with expected significant penalties for offenses such as fines of tens of millions of won, bribery, public official recruitment corruption, and election law violations, were able to pass the screening based on the presumption of innocence principle, which is seen as a contrast.
The local political circles point out that the Central Party’s Ethics Inspection Team regulations, applied for the first time in the local elections, could be abused as interference by the Central Party in local elections that fundamentally nullifies the screening by the provincial party committees, and there is a high possibility of being used for targeted screening.
In fact, as public criticism poured out against figures such as Representative Lee Sang-jik involved in the 2020 Eastar Jet corruption and Representative Yoon Mee-hyang suspected of embezzling comfort women funds, party members aware of the Central Party’s Ethics Inspection Team regulations established during Representative Lee Nak-yeon’s tenure increasingly submit complaints directly to the Ethics Inspection Team instead of requesting investigations from provincial parties, making accurate investigations difficult and leaving room for abuse due to the Central Party’s structure.
Especially since last year, rumors of Governor Yu’s candidate disqualification have been circulating continuously in the Jangseong local political circles, fueling conspiracy theories about Central Party intervention.
Regarding this result, supporters of Governor Yu reportedly strongly recommend running as an independent, saying that he should not have joined the Democratic Party, and that such a situation has occurred.
According to a person close to Governor Yu, “Governor Yu has postponed the declaration of giving up running for governor due to strong protests from supporters, but even if the decision is unreasonable, it does not make sense for a governor who joined the party for county harmony to leave the party and run as an independent.”
Governor Yu is currently refusing all interviews and meetings and is reportedly contemplating his future course of action.
Meanwhile, on the 12th, the Democratic Party Jeonnam Provincial Party Public Office Committee decided to exclude two incumbent county governors, Yuduseok of Jangseong and Kim San of Muan, and four preliminary candidates for basic local government heads, including Kim Jung-wook, preliminary candidate for Suncheon mayor, and Kim Seon-yong, preliminary candidate for Naju mayor, from the nomination through the June 1 local election candidate screening.
Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Jo Hangyu chg6001@asiae.co.kr
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