People Power Party Decides on Candidate Kim Tae-woo Through Primary Election
Next Year's General Election Focuses on Seoul Metropolitan Area Voter Sentiment
On the 17th, the People Power Party announced former district mayor Kim Tae-woo as its candidate for the by-election for the mayor of Gangseo District, Seoul. The Gangseo District mayoral by-election, which is attracting attention as an election that can gauge public sentiment in the metropolitan area ahead of next year's general election, has been finalized as a contest between Kim, a former prosecutor investigator, and Jin Gyo-hoon of the Democratic Party, a former deputy commissioner of the National Police Agency.
The People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee (NMC) announced the results of the primary election held at the National Assembly, involving candidate Kim, Kim Jin-seon, chairman of the Gangseo-byeong party committee, and former Seoul city councilor Kim Yong-sung. Former district mayor Kim won the primary held on the 15th and 16th, which was conducted with a 50% party member survey and 50% general voter survey. The results will be finalized after approval at the Supreme Council meeting on the following day, the 18th.
Kim was elected mayor of Gangseo District as a member of the People Power Party in the June 1 local elections last year but lost his position in May this year after a sentence was confirmed. During the Moon Jae-in administration, he was a member of the special inspection team in the Blue House's Office of Civil Affairs and exposed allegations of cover-up of inspections by then Senior Secretary Cho Kuk. He was sentenced by the Supreme Court to one year in prison with a two-year probation for leaking official secrets. He regained his eligibility to run for office last month through a special pardon on Liberation Day. The People Power Party initially decided not to field a candidate in the by-election, taking responsibility for the vacancy, but reversed its stance to field Kim following his pardon and reinstatement.
This election is notable as it reveals a portion of the metropolitan area's voter sentiment. Gangseo District is a stronghold of the Democratic Party, with all local members of the National Assembly belonging to the Democratic Party, and former district mayor Roh Hyun-song having served three consecutive terms before the last local election. However, attention is focused on whether public sentiment has shifted following the People Power Party's victory in the local elections after the regime change. Furthermore, depending on the election results, both People Power Party leader Kim Ki-hyun and Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung's leadership will be tested ahead of the general election.
Moreover, candidate Kim is regarded as the candidate endorsed by President Yoon Suk-yeol, who reinstated him through the special pardon on Liberation Day. Conversely, candidate Jin served as deputy commissioner of the National Police Agency during the Moon Jae-in administration. For this reason, the election also takes on the character of a proxy battle between the current and former administrations. Additionally, the contest is framed as a showdown between prosecution and police, as Kim is a former prosecutor investigator while Jin is a former police executive.
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