Countdown to Candidacy Declarations Following Lawmaker Jang Je-won's Decision Not to Run
The hottest figure in Busan right now is Kim Dae-sik. While South Korea's conservative base is focused on Han Dong-hoon, in Busan, it is undoubtedly him.
The premium of Assemblyman Jang Je-won, who raised his profile by declaring he would not run, is now up for grabs, and the current political atmosphere in Sasang District, Busan, is heating up.
Not only the political, governmental, and academic circles in Busan but also civic groups and the media are paying close attention to him. On the 29th, he expressed the growing concerns that came with the increasing attention in a fluent manner.
"I am running around trying to develop my alma mater into a global specialized college while fighting against the crisis of regional universities, but people around me are urging me to fill the vacancy left by Assemblyman Jang Je-won by running in the general election, so I am currently going through all my life’s dilemmas."
Although he is still contemplating, it seems he has made a decision. However, the scale he is weighing also carries concerns on the other side that he cannot ignore.
President Kim said, "It inevitably takes time to weigh things," adding, "Considering the current state of private specialized colleges suffering from the crisis of regional universities and difficulties in recruiting new students, I cannot easily leave the university and give up."
Kim Dae-sik, president of Gyeongnam Jeonmun University, who was the first president of the specialized college he graduated from, recently gave media interviews on his second anniversary in office, showing a clash between two themes.
He poured out achievements including national project budgets, university development fund fundraising, and attracting international students, but often lost the original topic when faced with questions about running in the general election.
President Kim regards the late founder Jang Seong-man, who established this university, as a mentor and a father figure who raised him. Before becoming university president, he served as a member of the 17th Presidential Transition Committee, secretary-general of the National Unification Advisory Council, vice chairman (ministerial level) of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, and director of the Yeouido Institute, building his political expertise.
Conservative leaders such as former President Lee Myung-bak and former Liberty Korea Party leader (now Daegu mayor) Hong Joon-pyo have all appointed him as a key strategist. With Assemblyman Jang Je-won’s decision not to run, it is natural in the region that Kim is being considered as a heavyweight figure to fill that gap.
President Kim Dae-sik said, "It is true that those around Assemblyman Jang strongly encourage me to run, and people at the university are also asking me to lead the school through these difficult times."
He added, "I was shocked by the announcement of not running, but I respect Assemblyman Jang for choosing sacrifice to live a greater life. If I enter politics, I want to practice the realistic politics of Soha, who valued the strategies and logistics of Jangryang, simultaneously."
Although Kim Dae-sik has not declared his candidacy, it seems he has already written his manifesto. He will announce his decision early in the new year.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
