Hwang Kyo-ahn "Handing Over Party Member List Is Illegal"... Backlash Against Pre-Election Cutoff

"Central Election Commission is a 'Suspect Institution'
Should Entrust to Credible Private Sector"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] Former leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, who has entered the race for the People Power Party leadership, has opposed the idea of entrusting the primary election management to the National Election Commission.

On the 1st, Hwang posted on Facebook, "It is absolutely unacceptable to entrust the management of the primary election to the National Election Commission," adding, "Since the last general election, the National Election Commission, which is a 'subject of litigation' with over 100 party candidates, cannot be reasonably trusted." He emphasized, "The party primary should be managed directly by the party, not by the National Election Commission," and stressed, "Handing over the party membership list to the Election Commission is illegal."

Earlier, the People Power Party Election Commission announced a cut-off system for the leadership race, with 4 candidates for party leader and 8 for Supreme Council member. The Election Commission plans to conduct a public opinion poll targeting 6,000 responsible party members on the 8th and 9th of this month to select the finalists.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Former leader Hwang proposed using a 'private institution.' He argued, "We should commission a credible private institution, but the party membership list should be managed directly by the party, and only the operation should be outsourced." He added, "Also, unlike our party, the Democratic Party did not entrust the National Election Commission during the last presidential primary but proceeded with their own system."

Meanwhile, in a survey conducted by the polling specialist Gallup Korea on behalf of Segye Ilbo from January 26 to 27, targeting People Power Party supporters (410 respondents, with a margin of error of ±4.9 percentage points at a 95% confidence level), Hwang's preference for party leader was 6.1%, placing him within the top 4 cut-off. In the same survey, the top preference for party leader was Assemblyman Ahn Cheol-soo (42.8%), followed by Assemblyman Kim Ki-hyun (28.2%) and former Assemblyman Yoo Seung-min (11.9%).