'Responsibility Debate' Opposition Faction Will Not Field Candidate
Senior pro-Lee Jae-myung (pro-Lee) faction lawmakers Kim Min-seok, Nam In-soon, Woo Won-shik, and Hong Ik-pyo have thrown their hats into the ring for the Democratic Party floor leader election scheduled for the 26th. The anti-Lee faction, which faced criticism over the approval of the arrest motion against Lee Jae-myung, ultimately did not field any candidates.
On the 24th, the Democratic Party announced, "The candidates registered for the by-election to elect the 4th floor leader of the 21st National Assembly Democratic Party are Hong Ik-pyo, Nam In-soon, Kim Min-seok, and Woo Won-shik (in order of registration)." The party closed candidate registration at 6 p.m. that day.
Hong was the first to complete candidate registration the previous day. Hong ran in the 2012 general election for Seoul Jung-Seongdong Gap and served three consecutive terms before moving last year to Seocho-eul, a difficult district for the Democratic Party. Although classified as pro-Lee, Hong is considered to have relatively weak factional ties and is regarded as one of the leading candidates in this election.
Nam, who registered second, is also a three-term senior pro-Lee lawmaker. She entered politics after being elected as a Supreme Council member of the Democratic United Party in 2012 and served as a secretary of the Health and Welfare Committee and the Women and Family Committee in the 19th National Assembly, and as chairperson of the Women and Family Committee in the first half of the 20th National Assembly.
Kim entered politics after winning the 15th general election in 1996 in Yeongdeungpo-gu Eul, Seoul. He served as head of the Democratic Research Institute and recently held the position of party policy committee chairman under floor leader Park Kwang-on.
At a press conference announcing his candidacy at the National Assembly, Kim said, "We must protect Leader Lee and reestablish a clear and strong Democratic Party," adding, "With my experience, strategy, policy, and breakthrough ability, I will revive the Democratic Party as a heavy and sharp sword."
Woo Won-shik also made a last-minute declaration of candidacy. He is a senior pro-Lee lawmaker representing Nowon-gu, Seoul. Recently, he conducted a 15-day hunger strike to oppose the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima.
Earlier, former floor leader Park and the floor leadership resigned on the 21st, taking responsibility for the approval of the arrest motion against Leader Lee at the plenary session. To minimize the leadership vacuum, the Democratic Party quickly formed an election management committee and finalized the election schedule for the floor leader election.
Given that the new floor leader election was triggered by the approval of the arrest motion against Leader Lee due to internal rebellion votes, it is analyzed that it was difficult for the anti-Lee faction to field candidates.
Park Beom-gye, who was reportedly considering running, declared his withdrawal on Facebook, saying, "As the chair of the party's countermeasures committee against prosecutorial dictatorship political oppression, I feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility."
The candidates will campaign on the 25th and hold the floor leader election immediately after their policy presentations on the 26th.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
![Clutching a Stolen Dior Bag, Saying "I Hate Being Poor but Real"... The Grotesque Con of a "Human Knockoff" [Slate]](https://cwcontent.asiae.co.kr/asiaresize/183/2026021902243444107_1771435474.jpg)
