Kim Kyung-yul's Resignation Is a Stopgap... Nomination Conflict Becomes the 'Eye of the Typhoon'

38 Applicants from the Presidential Office for Nomination
Applications from Strongholds in Yeongnam and Seoul Gangnam
Unavoidable Face-off Between Incumbent Constituency Lawmakers
"Nomination Party-Government Conflict Should Avoid Surface-Level Clashes"

With Kim Kyung-yul, a member of the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee, deciding not to run in the general election, the party-government conflict has entered a phase of practical reconciliation. However, there are concerns that the 'Yoon-Han conflict' could resurface once the nomination competition intensifies. This is because many former presidential office officials from the Yoon Seok-yeol administration have applied for nominations in the party's stronghold, the Yeongnam region, which could significantly conflict with the general election strategy envisioned by Chairman Han.

Looking at the list of 849 People Power Party nomination applicants as of the 5th, 38 are former presidential office officials. Among the 253 constituencies nationwide, the likelihood of facing incumbent party lawmakers in 21 constituencies has increased. In particular, People Power Party nomination applications have concentrated in Yeongnam and Seoul Gangnam areas, where the ruling party is strong. Yeongnam saw 278 applicants for 65 constituencies, recording a competition rate of 4.28 to 1. This is higher than the nationwide competition rate of 3.39 to 1 for party nominations.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Among the so-called 'Yonghaekgwan' presidential office figures, former Personnel Secretary Lee Won-mo is notable. He applied for nomination in Gangnam-eul, where former Foreign Minister Park Jin is the incumbent. Lee, a former prosecutor, is known as a key figure who has been with Yoon Seok-yeol since the presidential campaign. Park Jin, a four-term lawmaker who served as the first Foreign Minister under the Yoon administration, makes this constituency one of the most fiercely contested.

In Gumi-eul, a key area in the TK region, former National Planning Secretary Kang Myung-gu has thrown his hat in the ring. This is the constituency of first-term People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sik. In Hongseong-Yesan, Chungnam, incumbent lawmaker Hong Moon-pyo faces a challenge from former Civil Society Secretary Kang Seung-gyu. Kang previously ran as the Grand National Party (People Power Party) candidate in the 18th National Assembly election in 2008 for Seoul Mapo-gu Gap, defeating incumbent Unified Democratic Party lawmaker Roh Woong-rae.

Additionally, former Presidential Management Secretary Kim Oh-jin is set to compete with incumbent lawmaker Song Eon-seok in Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk. Kim served as the first vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in the second cabinet of the Yoon administration in July last year. Former Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Vice Minister Park Sung-hoon, who served as National Planning Secretary, will compete against five-term incumbent Seo Byung-soo in Busanjin-gap, while former youth supreme council member Jang Ye-chan, a former youth aide to President Yoon, will face off against Jeon Bong-min in Busan Suyeong.

There are also complaints within the People Power Party about the presidential office officials running in their strongholds. Some argue that they should take responsibility and run in more challenging districts. The party's nomination management committee maintains that candidates will be fairly selected through system nominations and primary elections in competitive areas. However, a senior People Power Party lawmaker expressed concern, saying, "The more intense the nomination competition becomes, the less Chairman Han will be free from pressure regarding nominations for presidential office personnel."

Political commentator Park Sang-byeong said, "As nominations become more concrete, clashes between President Yoon and Chairman Han are inevitable. The key issue is whether both sides lack the political skill to keep the conflict from surfacing or whether they can manage it flexibly to conclude without major clashes."