Kim Sung-tae, 3-term Gangseo District Representative in Difficult Terrain... Expected Role in General Election
Ruling Party, Kim Tae-woo in Dilemma... Speculation on Running in General Election Instead of By-election
With the 22nd general election scheduled for April next year and the upcoming by-election for the mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, in October, the Gangseo-gu area is drawing attention. Following political interest over whether Kim Tae-woo, former mayor of Gangseo-gu, who regained his eligibility to run for office through a special pardon on Liberation Day and is aiming for re-election, will run in the Gangseo-gu mayoral by-election, the political comeback of Kim Sung-tae, a senior member of the party and former Liberty Korea Party lawmaker, has now become a focal point.
Former lawmaker Kim was confirmed as the organizational chairman for Seoul Gangseo-eul on the 31st of last month. Since becoming the party branch chairman can secure a favorable position in the nomination for the general election in the relevant district, there is growing speculation that he may return to Gangseo-eul.
Kim is a figure who served three consecutive terms (Gangseo-eul, 18th to 20th National Assembly) in Gangseo-gu, traditionally considered a tough district for conservative parties. In the 21st general election in 2020, he declared he would not run, stating, "I will serve quietly for the victory of the conservative right and our party." Amid the emerging crisis theory within the People Power Party in the metropolitan area, there is also speculation that Kim will play a role in the metropolitan area elections.
Kim Geun-sik, former head of the Vision and Strategy Office of the People Power Party, said on the afternoon of the 31st on YTN's 'News Night,' "Someone like former lawmaker Kim is actually a great asset to us," adding, "The western part of Seoul is a tough district and very challenging for our party, but former lawmaker Kim was elected three times consecutively in the tough district of Gangseo-gu and even served as the floor leader."
He continued, "He also has a reasonably moderate and centrist mindset, so the fact that former lawmaker Kim has been pardoned this time, regained his eligibility to run, and became the organizational chairman of Gangseo again is a good sign that he can take on a certain role in the metropolitan area in next year's election."
Former lawmaker Kim Sung-tae also expressed his determination to lead elections in the southwestern Seoul region but acknowledged that this general election would not be easy. On the 1st, he appeared on YTN Radio's 'News King with Park Ji-hoon' and said, "I feel a heavy responsibility in taking on the role of organizational chairman. The metropolitan area, especially the tough districts, is like a death zone where I must survive next year," adding, "Not only me, but there are many burdens to embrace and take care of the surroundings in the southwestern Seoul region."
Kim said, "The ruling party's momentum in the metropolitan area is the presidential wave, but that has already been used up. After President Yoon Seok-youl's election on March 9 last year, our party achieved a large number of wins and good results in the June 1 local elections," adding, "Also, to achieve good results in those local elections, many players who should have run in next April's general election were drafted, creating a significant gap."
Former Gangseo District Mayor Kim Tae-woo is shouting a victory slogan at the opening ceremony of his Gangseo District Mayor by-election campaign office held in a building in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 28th of last month. [Image source=Yonhap News]
In the Gangseo-gu mayoral by-election, scheduled for October 11, six months ahead of the general election on April 10 next year, the candidacy of former Gangseo-gu mayor Kim Tae-woo is an issue. Kim was sentenced to prison in May for leaking official secrets but regained his eligibility to run through a special pardon on Liberation Day after three months.
Former mayor Kim opened his election office on the 28th of last month, expressing strong intentions to run, but the People Power Party is struggling over whether to nominate him. Since the Gangseo-gu mayoral by-election is held six months before the general election, it serves as a preliminary test of public sentiment in the metropolitan area. If the party responsible for the by-election nominates a candidate, it cannot avoid criticism, so it must be cautious in its nomination.
If former mayor Kim is nominated and then loses the election, the responsibility will increase. Former People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in said on the 31st on CBS Radio's 'Park Jae-hong's One-on-One Match,' "In principle, it would be wise for the People Power Party not to nominate a candidate there, but due to various circumstances within the party, they have no choice but to nominate," adding, "If former mayor Kim runs and wins, that’s one thing, but if he loses, a complicated situation could unfold. After the by-election, someone will have to take responsibility."
However, there is also analysis that former mayor Kim is aiming for next year's general election rather than the Gangseo-gu mayoral by-election. Since the by-election is held just two months after regaining eligibility and he is the person who caused the by-election, there is inevitably a burden, but in the upcoming general election, that burden can be somewhat alleviated.
Currently, the People Power Party has stated that there has been no special discussion regarding the nomination of former mayor Kim. Senior spokesperson Kang Min-guk said on the morning of the 31st after the on-site Supreme Council meeting held at the Suncheonman National Garden Suncheonman International Wetland Center in Suncheon-si, Jeollanam-do, "As I have said repeatedly, the central party has not discussed any special stance regarding the Gangseo-gu mayor, who is just one of 229 local government heads. I think some result will come out soon."
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