Won Hee-ryong Announces Candidacy for Party Convention: "Party and Government Must Be United in One Heart and Mind"

No Message from Former Leader Since General Election
Declares Intention to Run in 20th Party Convention
Three-Way Contest with Han Dong-hoon and Na Kyung-won

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong announced on the 20th that he will run in the People Power Party leadership election.

On the morning of the same day, former Minister Won sent a text message to reporters stating, "After reflecting on the future of South Korea and the party following the recent general election defeat, I have concluded that now is the time for the party and government to unite as one and achieve change and reform that fully respects the public sentiment expressed through the general election."

Won Hee-ryong, Co-Chairman of the People Power Party's Central Election Countermeasures Committee, is speaking at the Central Election Countermeasures Committee meeting held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 1st. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Former Minister Won, who ran in Incheon Gyeyang-eul in the April 10 general election, was defeated in the contest against Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. Since the election, he has remained low-profile without delivering any significant political messages.

There is analysis that the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) faction will support former Minister Won as a candidate for party leader to counter former Emergency Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon. Former Minister Won is regarded as a figure whom the presidential office can trust more. Political consultant Park Sung-min said on CBS Radio that "Former Minister Won seems to be closer to the president than Representative Na Kyung-won," adding, "Since he has also served as a minister, Representative Na may find herself in a difficult position."

With former Minister Won's decision to run, the possibility of a three-way race naturally increases, involving former Emergency Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon, Representative Na, and himself. The structure is important because if no candidate wins a majority in the first round of the party leadership election, a runoff will follow. If the vote shares among candidates are close, an alliance between the second and third place candidates could become a decisive factor in the runoff.