與 "Field Top Leaders Fully Mobilized" vs 野 "From Gangseo, Regime Change"... The Great Gangseo Battle Begins

Ahead of General Election, Leadership to Launch All-Out Effort
People Power Party: "Kim Ki-hyun Will Do His Best"
Democratic Party: "Warning Against Yoon's Reckless Actions and Regression"

The People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea will face off in the by-election for the mayor of Gangseo District, Seoul, scheduled for the 11th of next month. With the People Power Party shifting from a no-candidacy stance to fielding a candidate, this election has become a precursor to the parliamentary elections in April next year. Both parties are expected to encounter noise during the candidate nomination process, making this election a potential variable.

According to ruling party sources on the 6th, the People Power Party is considering holding an on-site Supreme Council meeting once the Gangseo District mayoral candidate is confirmed. The on-site Supreme Council is expected to be attended by the party leadership as well as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Kim Seon-dong, chairman of the Seoul City Party Committee. The strategy is to directly confront the 'capital region crisis theory' raised inside and outside the party and to maintain momentum until next year's general election. A party official said, "With only six months left until the general election and the election taking place in the capital region, the scale will be large," adding, "Representative Kim Ki-hyun will also devote all efforts to Gangseo District."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving a greeting speech at the certificate awarding ceremony for Jin Gyo-hoon, candidate for the by-election of the Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, held at the hunger strike tent in front of the National Assembly main building on the 6th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The People Power Party will launch the nomination management committee to decide the Gangseo District mayoral candidate on the 7th. Secretary-General Lee Cheol-gyu will serve as the chair of the nomination committee. On the same day, Representative Kim Ki-hyun met with reporters at the National Assembly and said, "This Gangseo District mayoral election is not easy, but fielding a candidate is a responsible attitude of the ruling party," emphasizing, "The nomination committee will put forward a candidate who can reclaim the lost 12 years in Gangseo."

The People Power Party leadership is reportedly deliberating between an internal primary and a strategic nomination. The preliminary candidates for the People Power Party's Gangseo District mayor include former Gangseo District Mayor Kim Tae-woo, Kim Jin-seon, chairman of the Gangseo-byeong Party Committee, and former Seoul City Council member Kim Yong-sung.

There is speculation inside and outside the party that former Mayor Kim will receive a strategic nomination. Former Mayor Kim, a former prosecutor, was convicted by the Supreme Court in May for leaking official secrets related to exposing allegations of cover-up by former Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs Cho Kuk during the Moon Jae-in administration, but was granted a special pardon by President Yoon Seok-youl last month after only three months. Representative Kim said on the day, "The nomination process follows the party's rules and regulations through an open call and review, and the nomination committee is independently responsible for the decision."

Because of this, some within the party are calling for selecting the candidate through a primary rather than a strategic nomination. Kim Seong-tae, chairman of the People Power Party's Gangseo-eul Party Committee, said in a BBS radio interview on the same day, "The Democratic Party used the strategic nomination of candidate Jin as a means to create a forced prosecution-police frame, but from our People Power Party's perspective, the democratic procedure is to select a candidate who can ensure continuous district administration for the true residents of Gangseo," adding, "Regardless of which of the three candidates is chosen, the party leadership must play a role in uniting and consolidating for the by-election."

The Democratic Party of Korea also officially kicked off the election campaign by awarding the nomination certificate to Jin Gyo-hoon, the former Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency, who was strategically nominated as the Democratic candidate for Gangseo District mayor on the same day.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, handed over the nomination certificate at the tent where he is conducting a hunger strike, saying, "The significance of this Gangseo District mayoral by-election is truly profound and grave," and added, "At some point, we must stop the unprecedented regression and destruction of democracy by the Yoon Seok-youl administration. I believe the main front line will be next year's general election, but this by-election for Gangseo District mayor, the only one held in October, will serve as a preliminary battle."

He emphasized, "The Democratic Party must win, and through victory in the Gangseo District mayoral election, we will ask the people to warn against the reckless and unreasonable rampage and regression of the Yoon Seok-youl administration."

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, is talking with Park Dae-chul, chairman of the Policy Committee, at the Policy Lawmakers' Meeting held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Candidate Jin served as director of the National Police Agency's Intelligence Bureau, commissioner of the Jeollabuk-do Police Agency, and deputy commissioner of the National Police Agency. If former Mayor Kim is selected as the People Power Party candidate, this Gangseo District mayoral election will become a showdown between the prosecution and the police. Given the conflicts between the prosecution and police over the investigative authority adjustments pursued during the Moon Jae-in administration, a fierce partisan battle is expected in this election as well.

Candidate Jin said on the day, "I will start regime change from Gangseo," adding, "This by-election caused a five-month administrative gap and wasted 4 billion won of residents' taxes. A player who was sent off for a foul on the field cannot return to play again, can they?" He continued, "With diverse experience leading 130,000 police officers, I will become a Gangseo District mayor who carefully attends to the lives and livelihoods of residents, ensuring safety, security, and welfare."

However, there is also opposition within the Democratic Party regarding this nomination. Former senior deputy spokesperson Lee Gyu-ui, who had declared candidacy for the Gangseo District mayor by-election, issued a statement on the day, saying, "A candidate with unclear identity and lacking regional competitiveness cannot win," and demanded, "Preliminary candidates should be reselected through a transparent and fair re-examination."

Former senior deputy spokesperson Lee said, "According to the Monthly Chosun poll report on the 30th of last month before the cut-off announcement, I Gyu-ui ranked first in suitability as the Democratic candidate with 11.4%," and argued, "Cutting off a more competitive candidate will not be accepted by party members and residents." He added, "I urge the nomination executive to uphold responsible attitudes to protect intra-party democracy."