With Rep. Park Not Running, Lee Jaegwan and Lee Jungman Form a Two-Strong Rivalry
Public Sentiment in Four Northern Towns and Townships, Weak Areas for the Democratic Party, Will Decide the Outcome
Independent National Assembly member Park Wan-joo has announced that he will not run in the 22nd general election, causing public sentiment in the Cheonan-eun area to fluctuate. Due to the redistricting, Buldang 1 and 2-dong, which were the Democratic Party's strongest strongholds, have been moved to the Cheonan-byeong district, and the public opinion in the four northern towns and townships, traditionally weaker areas, has become uncertain.
On the 19th, Park officially declared his decision not to run in the 22nd general election through a statement. He said, "After long consideration, I have decided not to run in this 22nd general election," adding, "The past 12 years have been a time of intense reflection and action to live up to the heavy responsibilities entrusted to me by the citizens of Cheonan."
Regarding the sexual harassment allegations, Park remained steadfast in his determination to reveal the truth. He stated, "Starting from the sexual harassment report submitted to the Democratic Party in late April 2022, I was expelled from the Democratic Party, where I had devoted half of my life, and began a long battle. Because it is not true, I have silently endured immeasurable pain until now, and no matter how much more pain and sacrifice it takes in the future, I will see the truth revealed to the end by the judiciary."
He continued, "While the journey of Assemblyman Park Wan-joo is temporarily paused, Park Wan-joo the politician who dreams of a better society will continue to fulfill his given mission as a citizen, colleague, and neighbor of Cheonan."
Park Wan-joo's withdrawal has brought some relief within the Democratic Party. Since Buldang 1 and 2-dong, the Democratic Party's largest voter base in the existing Cheonan-eun district, has been moved to the Cheonan-byeong district, it is highly likely that the election will be a close contest decided by a margin of 1-2%. Park's withdrawal allows the Democratic Party to aim for consolidation of its support base.
However, how to capture public opinion in the four northern towns and townships?Jiksan, Seonghwan, Seonggeo, and Ipjang?will be the biggest variable in this election. These four northern areas are traditionally conservative, but Park Wan-joo, whose hometown is Jiksan, performed well in these weaker areas, laying the groundwork for his third term.
In fact, during the 19th general election, Democratic United Party candidate Park Wan-joo received 11,883 votes in the four northern towns and townships. Although Saenuri Party candidate Kim Ho-yeon won with 14,079 votes, Park was considered to have performed well.
In the 20th general election, Park received 14,029 votes, surpassing Saenuri Party candidate Choi Min-ki's 11,580 votes. In the 21st general election, Park received 17,607 votes, ahead of Future United Party candidate Lee Jeong-man's 14,781 votes.
Accordingly, it is widely expected that the Cheonan-eun election will ultimately be decided by public opinion in the four northern towns and townships. The Democratic Party needs a strategy to minimize the vote gap as much as possible, while the People Power Party must widen the vote gap in this area to overcome disadvantages in urban areas such as Buldang 1 and 2-dong.
A local political insider said, "Park Wan-joo's withdrawal has effectively narrowed the race to a two-horse race due to the consolidation of the Democratic Party's support base. However, the challenge remains whether the Democratic Party can secure votes in the four northern towns and townships, traditionally weak areas, at the level Park did. It is important to resolve any noise during the candidate selection process and unite party members."
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