Ruling Party Leadership Candidate Na Kyung-won, Leadership Members Seong Il-jong and Song Eon-seok
Opposition 'Ruling Party's Voice' Kim Eui-gyeom and 'Pro-Moon Core' Park Beom-gye
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On January 1, 2023, the morning of the Year of the Rabbit dawned. Last year, Yeouido politics greatly disappointed the public, leading to the non-partisan group reaching its highest level since the presidential election. This year, can politicians born in the Year of the Rabbit regain the hearts of the people?
Both the ruling and opposition parties have a considerable number of politically significant politicians born in the Year of the Rabbit. In particular, the ruling party includes key figures such as Na Kyung-won, vice chairperson of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee and climate environment ambassador, who is also a candidate for party leadership, as well as Seong Il-jong, chairman of the Policy Committee, and Song Eon-seok, chief deputy floor leader, all born in 1963.
In the opposition party, Kim Eui-gyeom, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, and Park Beom-gye, a core member of the 'pro-Moon' group, are also born in the Year of the Rabbit.
'Flower Card' Holder Na Kyung-won
Born in 1963, Vice Chairperson Na leads the party leadership candidate polls within the party, ranking first in support and is considered one of the leading contenders for party leadership. Recently, through her social media, she hinted at the possibility of running by saying, "The most frequent comment I hear these days is 'Please become party leader.'" She may challenge for party leader at the ruling party's convention in March, or even if she does not run, she could play the role of a 'kingmaker' by supporting strong candidates, thus being regarded as holding the 'flower card.'
Seong, chairman of the Policy Committee, and Song, chief deputy floor leader, who are contemporaries of former lawmaker Na, have the responsibility of facing the 'giant opposition' this year and next. The Policy Committee chairman leads the policy committee that drafts and deliberates party policies and is considered the de facto 'second-in-command' in the National Assembly after the floor leader. The chief deputy floor leader is responsible for practical negotiations with the opposition. How well the Yeo-so-ya-dae (minority ruling party, majority opposition) situation allows the Yoon administration's policies to be enacted in the National Assembly depends on their negotiation skills.
Among the emergency committee members leading the People Power Party, three-term lawmaker Kim Sang-hoon, born in 1963, is also a Year of the Rabbit politician. Known as a policy expert, he has attracted attention for his active legislative activities. Recently, he proposed a bill to establish a 'Youth Policy Platform' to gather and review youth policies, which are currently dispersed among the government, local governments, and public institutions, in one place.
Additionally, Lee Man-hee, the ruling party's secretary for the special committee investigating the Itaewon incident, and Jo Hae-jin, who served as chairman of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee in the first half of the year, are also born in the Year of the Rabbit. As the Itaewon investigation is expected to continue next year, attention is focused on whether Lee, as the ruling party secretary, will uncover the truth of the incident.
Will Kim Eui-gyeom Continue the 'Expose Battles' Next Year?
Kim Eui-gyeom, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 25th, listening to Representative Lee Jae-myung's remarks with a serious expression. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
Kim, the Democratic Party spokesperson, suffered a setback last year after raising the 'Cheongdam-dong drinking party suspicion,' which was later proven false. He was also sued by Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon for 1 billion won in damages. However, he received strong support from his base, filling his fundraising limit. He stated, "I will continue to fulfill my 'duty and responsibility' to ask and question on behalf of the people," indicating that he is likely to continue exposing major issues related to the ruling party this year.
As the Yoon Seok-yeol administration continues investigations targeting major projects of the Moon Jae-in administration, attention is also on what actions Park Beom-gye, a core 'pro-Moon' figure within the party, will take. With speculation that former President Moon Jae-in and Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung may meet in the new year, Park stated on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' that the two share "a bond of suffering as they are being oppressed under the same umbrella," expressing a sense of shared hardship.
Song Young-gil, senior advisor of the Democratic Party and a leader of the '86 group' (those born in the 1960s who entered university in the 1980s), is also born in the Year of the Rabbit. In December last year, he left for France saying he would "prepare for the post-Yoon Seok-yeol government." Serving as a visiting research professor at ESCP Business School in Paris, he plans to stay there until mid-year. Attention is on whether he can bring solutions to issues such as population decline and climate change.
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