[Exploring Ruling Party Leadership Candidates] ③ Won Hee-ryong Emphasizes 'One Team', Can He Turn the Tables with 'Yoon-sim'?

Unlimited Careers as National Assembly Member, Governor, and Minister
Gaining Support from Pro-Yoon Faction and Securing TK Public Sentiment
Backlash Against Pro-Yoon Party Leadership Bid May Backfire Instead

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong emphasizes the party-government 'one team.' He claims that he is the candidate for party leader who can lead the Yoon Seok-yeol administration to success. Entering politics in 2000 as a member of the National Assembly for the Grand National Party, he has served three terms as a lawmaker, two terms as Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, and as the first Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport under the Yoon administration. Based on his experience in both the legislative and executive branches, he stresses that he is a candidate who can effectively serve as a bridge connecting public sentiment and the government. Riding on the support of the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) faction, he is carrying out schedules in the TK (Daegu-Gyeongbuk) region, where 40% of party members have ties, on the 25th and 26th consecutively, aiming to overcome the limitations of being an outsider by leveraging both Yoon’s and the party’s support.

Won also named his campaign 'One Team.' Although his competitors, former Emergency Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon and lawmaker Na Kyung-won, have served as the first Minister of Justice under the Yoon administration and Vice Chair of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee respectively, he points out that he has not been involved in any discord rumors with President Yoon. On the 19th, Won also visited El Salvador as part of a presidential special envoy delegation and met with President Yoon. Based on this, Won explains that if he becomes party leader, he intends to form a 'Red Team' to speak frankly to President Yoon.

Political circles view that if he secures support from pro-Yoon factions and lawmakers from the TK region, he could rapidly emerge as a strong candidate for party leadership. Since former lawmaker Lee Yong, known as 'President Yoon Seok-yeol’s bodyguard,' has decided to support Won, the possibility of the pro-Yoon faction lending their strength has increased. Lee served as chief of staff during the last presidential election and has been a figure who conveyed Yoon’s intentions within the 21st National Assembly. Furthermore, on the 25th, Won met party members in Andong City, Chilgok County, Gumi City, and Gimcheon City in Gyeongbuk Province, and after meeting Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk, he met with Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and party members in Dalseo District, Daegu on the 26th, touring the TK region to promote himself as the 'Yoon-backed candidate.'

On the other hand, former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung’s indication of a bid for party leadership again and the Democratic Party moving toward a unipolar system pose an external threat to Won. Although he played the role of Lee’s sniper to the extent of being called the top instructor on the Daejang-dong scandal during the last presidential election, he was defeated by Lee in the Gyeyang-eul district during the April 10 general election. Some question whether he can compete against the Democratic Party led again by Lee. In response, competitor lawmaker Na attempted to shake confidence by targeting Won and former Chairman Han, saying, “One lost in the Incheon Gyeyang battle, and the other lost in the nationwide battle.”

Although he has been classified as a potential presidential and party leadership candidate within the ruling party, his lack of a strong support base and limited expansion potential have been pointed out as weaknesses. Won is from Jeju Island, which has a small number of party members, putting him at a disadvantage in the party leadership election, which is decided by 80% party member votes and 20% national opinion polls. Therefore, analyses suggest that if he fails to secure full support from the pro-Yoon faction and the TK region, he will not be able to seize party leadership. The president’s approval rating hovering in the 20% range and the pro-Yoon faction showing signs of division, unlike during the 21st National Assembly, are also considered risk factors. In fact, lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin, who served as spokesperson during President Yoon’s transition period, has decided to support former Chairman Han.

Choi Chang-ryeol, a special professor at Yongin University, said, “The biggest strength and weakness of former Minister Won is his pro-Yoon affiliation. Since the presidential term has three years left, this party leadership election, which has a high proportion of party member votes, could give him strength. However, if the atmosphere arises that the pro-Yoon faction regaining party leadership would be unfavorable for regime re-creation, it could instead become a disadvantage.”