Sangwoong Park: "Lost Despite Winning Due to Kukhim's Incorrect Primary Rules Application"
Sang-ung Park, the preliminary candidate of the People Power Party for Gyeongsangnam-do's Miryang, Uiryeong, Haman, and Changnyeong, announced that he submitted an application for a 'preliminary injunction to suspend the effect of nomination' to the Seoul Southern District Court on the 1st, claiming that he lost despite winning due to the People Power Party's incorrect application of the primary election rules.
Park Sang-ung and his legal representatives from the law firm Juwon (LLC) requested through the 'injunction application' to suspend the effect of the nomination made on the 1st, which designated preliminary candidate Il-ho Park as the People Power Party candidate in the Miryang, Uiryeong, Haman, and Changnyeong general election.
Park's side issued a press release on the same day, asserting that "the People Power Party applied unconstitutional and anti-democratic indiscriminate primary election rules, effectively eliminating preliminary candidate Sang-ung Park, who had actually won the primary."
Preliminary candidate Park Sang-woong's injunction application to suspend the effectiveness of the nomination against the People Power Party. [Image provided by Park Sang-woong Preliminary Candidate's Election Office]
Park stated, "The primary opinion poll results were extremely close, with Sang-ung Park at 49.23% and Il-ho Park at 50.77%. However, after applying a 10-point deduction to Il-ho Park for mid-term withdrawal causing a by-election, I, Sang-ung Park, won by a 9% margin."
He continued, "But the People Power Party applied a 30% deduction to me (Sang-ung Park) for losing more than three times in the same electoral district, resulting in a final outcome of Sang-ung Park at 36.92% and Il-ho Park at 40.77%, with Il-ho Park winning by a 3.85% margin," appealing against the unfairness.
Park argued, "They used my record of running and losing 32 years ago as a problem and applied it to the primary rules to eliminate me."
He also condemned the application of the '30% deduction rule for candidates who lost more than three times in the same electoral district.'
Preliminary candidate Sang-ung Park ran and lost three times in his 30s during the 15th (1992, Miryang), 16th (1996, Miryang), and 17th (2000, Miryang·Changnyeong) general elections.
Park said, "I raised objections when registering as a primary candidate, but a party official showed a high-handed attitude, saying 'If you want to participate in the primary unconditionally, sign this' and 'It is the party's decision.' I reluctantly signed, thinking that not signing would invalidate my primary registration."
He criticized, "This is an unconstitutional clause that seriously infringes on fair eligibility to run and the right to compete for party nomination."
He added, "This primary result is not a personal issue of Sang-ung Park," expressing outrage at the party's attitude that lightly dismisses all the people's efforts expressed through public opinion and media regarding various corruption allegations and illegal suspicions over time.
Park emphasized, "All of this is an arrogant attitude and decision that ignores our local voters and party members," urging, "Please join forces to correct this mistake."
Meanwhile, the People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee announced the primary results held in 16 constituencies on the same day and nominated preliminary candidate Il-ho Park for the Miryang, Uiryeong, Haman, and Changnyeong electoral district.
◆ Full text of preliminary candidate Sang-ung Park's appeal.
Respected members of the press, and voters of Miryang, Uiryeong, Haman, and Changnyeong!
People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee, Chairman Han Dong-hoon of the Emergency Response Committee, and the leadership!
The primary election for the People Power Party's nomination applied unconstitutional and anti-democratic primary rules indiscriminately, effectively eliminating candidate Sang-ung Park, who had actually won.
The primary opinion poll results were extremely close: Sang-ung Park at 49.23% and Il-ho Park at 50.26%. After applying a 10-point deduction to Sang-ung Park for mid-term withdrawal causing a by-election, he won by a 9% margin over Il-ho Park, who finally obtained 40.26%.
Are you eliminating Sang-ung Park, who challenged the entrenched power of the Miryang mayor for 10 years with a 1% narrow victory, by bringing up his candidacy from 32 years ago and penalizing him? Especially when he actually won by 9%?
I understand the intention to include the '30% deduction for losing three times in the same district' clause in the nomination rules to sanction some habitual losers despite receiving the party's nomination.
However, instead of appreciating a young man who challenged political innovation and social reform at the age of 31 just 32 years ago, they dug up his losing records at ages 31, 35, and 39 (twice in Miryang, once in Miryang·Changnyeong) and deducted a whopping 30% from Sang-ung Park's vote share.
Frankly, I am deeply shocked by this primary where I lost despite winning. Such unconstitutional and anti-democratic unfair decisions are hard for anyone to accept.
Currently, the People Power Party claims to nurture young politicians by sending them to difficult constituencies. If these young people trust the party, endure hardships, and lose three times, will they all be deducted 30% and expelled? I was also a political sacrifice who started at 31.
Moreover, I endured all kinds of hardships as an independent and minor party member. Is that the reason I was dropped today?
I cannot tolerate the anti-democratic and unconstitutional atrocity that inflicted decisive violence on the political decision-making of the citizens of Uiryeong, Haman, and Changnyeong, who now make up 60% of the newly unified population, unrelated to Sang-ung Park's 30s age and three losses.
When my staff went to register me as a primary candidate at the central party, they raised objections, but the central party staff showed a high-handed attitude, saying, 'If you want to participate in the primary unconditionally, sign this. It is the party's decision.' Thinking that not signing would invalidate the registration, they reluctantly signed.
This is unreasonable and an unconstitutional clause that seriously infringes on fair eligibility to run and the right to compete for party nomination.
Furthermore, I have contributed by serving in major party positions over the past 20 years, including as a talent recruitment committee member, deputy director of the central training institute, chair of the central committee's foreign trade committee, vice-chair of the central committee, and deputy spokesperson. I also greatly contributed as the full-time deputy head of the primary campaign organization and senior deputy head of the presidential campaign's organizational integration under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, and as an advisory member of the presidential transition committee's opportunity adjustment subcommittee. The People Power Party's Nomination Committee's decision to block my political path using my youth loss record from 32 years ago is incomprehensible to anyone and cannot be overlooked, which is why I filed a 'preliminary injunction to suspend the effect of nomination' with the Korean court.
I respectfully request the People Power Party's Nomination Committee and Emergency Response Committee, who respect the will of the people, to review this incorrect application of rules and decision and make a correct decision that the public can accept.
Patriotic citizens of Miryang, Uiryeong, Haman, and Changnyeong! Respected members of the People Power Party!
And respected members of the press!
Do you agree with this People Power Party nomination decision?
This is not a personal issue of Sang-ung Park, and I am appalled by the party's attitude that lightly dismisses all the public's efforts expressed through the media and the party regarding various corruption allegations and illegal suspicions over time.
I judge all of this to be an arrogant attitude and decision that ignores our local voters and party members, and I respectfully ask you to join forces to correct this mistake.
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