Yeo 'Oldboy's Return'... Will Park Ji-won and Son Hye-won Face Off in Mokpo?

Park Ji-won Prepares Response to Son Hye-won's Moves for General Election Candidacy

With next year's general election approaching, rumors of candidacies from opposition 'old boys' such as former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won, former lawmaker Chun Jung-bae, and former Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young in the Honam region are stirring up the local political scene.

Former lawmaker Son Hye-won, well known as a 'frenemy' of former NIS Director Park, hinted at a counter-candidacy on her YouTube channel, saying, "We can no longer leave Mokpo in the hands of former Director Park Ji-won."

Independent lawmaker Sohn Hye-won, who is under suspicion of real estate speculation in the Mokpo area of Jeollanam-do, waved to her supporters as she attended the second trial held at the Southern District Court in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul on the 21st. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Son Hye-won: "We Cannot Leave Mokpo in Park Ji-won's Hands"

On the morning of the 31st of last month, on her YouTube channel 'Son Hye-won TV,' former lawmaker Son said, "There is only one scenario in which I would run for the National Assembly. If former Director Park Ji-won comes to Mokpo, then I must run." This is interpreted as her intention to face off directly if Park runs in Mokpo in next year's general election.

Son also engaged in a heated exchange over Park's candidacy. When former Director Park expressed his intention to run on the 25th of last month on OhmyTV, citing the 'search and seizure by the Yoon Seok-yeol government police,' Son criticized him on social media, saying, "What does search and seizure have to do with politics? During your 16 years as a politician, were you treated well and safe from the prosecution?" She added, "I see all sorts of pathetic excuses. I sincerely hope you run in Mokpo."

Park did not respond directly but replied in an interview with Mokpo KBS to Son's criticism by saying, "Even if dogs bark, the train goes on." He likened Son to a 'dog' and himself to a 'train.' Son retorted on social media, "Perhaps the politician Mokpo citizens want is a loyal dog rather than a heartless human."

Their feud began during the 2015 internal conflict between 'pro-Moon (친문)' and 'non-Moon (비문)' factions when Park called Son a 'Moonppa' (an ardent supporter of Moon Jae-in) during Moon Jae-in's leadership of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy. In 2019, their bad blood continued as they called each other the 'icon of betrayal' and the 'icon of speculation' over Son's alleged land speculation in Mokpo. In the last general election, Son even hinted at campaigning against Park's election.

Effectively an 'Adversarial Symbiotic Relationship'... Ruling Party: "The Public is Annoyed"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

People Power Party lawmaker Hong Seok-jun said on MBN's 'Politics Wide,' "I don't know if the two will clash in Mokpo, but from my experience in politics, such bickering is not necessarily all bad." He added, "They stir up interest in each other, so it might not be entirely negative, but from the public's perspective, it is somewhat annoying." This is what is called an 'adversarial symbiotic relationship.'

Park's announcement to run has also drawn attention as part of the opposition's 'old boys' return,' alongside former Minister Chung and former lawmaker Chun. Rumors suggest Park may run in Mokpo or Haenam-Wando-Jindo, Chun in Gwangju Seo-gu E, which became a vacant seat after lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja's defection, and Chung is said to be aiming to reclaim his former constituency, Jeonju Byeong.

There is considerable criticism that this goes against the call for generational change. Former Justice Party lawmaker Park Won-seok appeared on MBN and said, "There is an evaluation within the party that 'the Democratic Party needs generational change' and that 'the 586 generation has been around too long.'" He added, "With veterans like that coming back to run, including former Minister Chung and former lawmaker Chun, the party will become one far from generational change."

On the other hand, former Director Park emphasizes the 'harmony of old, middle-aged, and young' and seems to argue for the necessity of old boys. On Gwangju MBC's 'Current Affairs Interview Today,' he said, "The National Assembly is mainly led by senior multi-term members, and if the current members are unsatisfied and the entire body is replaced, only first-term members will remain." He added, "Former President Kim Dae-jung said that politics, parties, and the National Assembly must achieve harmony among the old, middle-aged, and young. We must utilize the experience, wisdom, and insight of the elders."