Unchecked Re-election of Party Leader? Looking at Precedents of Party Leader Consecutive Terms [News Seolcham]

(27) Unprecedented Reappointment but Must Distinguish Between Reappointment and Consecutive Terms
In the Democratic Party, DJ is the Only One with Reappointment... Simultaneously President and Party Leader
People Power Party Also Has Cases of Reappointment and Consecutive Terms Including Lee Hoe-chang

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Will there be a case of consecutive terms for the party leader in the Democratic Party of Korea after 24 years? Former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung officially announced his challenge for re-election as party leader just 1 year and 11 months after being elected in August 2022. In political circles, Lee’s bid for re-election is considered unusual, and it is expected that he will need to present a convincing rationale for his consecutive term. Some even joke about 'Ttodaemyeong' (meaning 'Lee Jae-myung again as leader') based on his high approval ratings.

In parties affiliated with the Democratic Party, it has been 24 years since a party leader served consecutive terms. So far, the only case was former President Kim Dae-jung, who served as the chairman of the New Politics National Congress from September 1995 to January 2000 and then continued as chairman of its successor, the Millennium Democratic Party. President Kim concurrently held the presidency and the chairmanship but resigned from the chairmanship in November 2001 after taking responsibility for losses in by-elections. At that time, it was common for the president to also serve as the ruling party’s chairman.

However, there have been cases of multiple terms. Although not consecutive, some leaders resigned and then returned to the position after a certain period. Former President Moon Jae-in won the party leadership election in February 2015 and became the first leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. He stepped down in February 2016 to run for president and was elected in the 19th presidential election. Prior to that, from February to December 2015, he served as the leader of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, the predecessor of the Democratic Party.

There are also cases where leaders attempted re-election but failed. Former Prime Minister and Democratic Party leader Chung Sye-kyun, elected as the party’s second leader in July 2008, resigned in October 2010 to run in the party convention. However, in the convention where both the leader and supreme council members were elected simultaneously, he ranked third in votes and was elected as a supreme council member instead of party leader. The leadership then went to former leader Sohn Hak-kyu.

In parties affiliated with the People Power Party, there have also been cases of consecutive or multiple terms. Former chairman Lee Hoi-chang of the Grand National Party served consecutive terms from August 1998 to April 2002. Former President Park Geun-hye was elected as the 4th Grand National Party leader and supreme council chairman in March 2004 ahead of the 17th general election, then re-elected in the party convention in July of the same year, serving until June 2006. Later, Park also served as the emergency committee chairperson for about three months starting December 2011.

Hong Joon-pyo, mayor of Daegu, who was the Grand National Party leader from July to December 2011, became the first leader of the Liberty Korea Party in July 2017. However, he resigned after taking responsibility for the party’s crushing defeat in the local elections held on June 13, 2018, shortly after the impeachment crisis.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party’s party convention will be held on the 18th of next month. Candidates for party leader include former leader Lee Jae-myung, former lawmaker Kim Du-kwan, and Kim Ji-soo, head of the Korea Peninsula Future Economy Forum.

The term of the leadership elected at this convention will last until August 2026. Therefore, the new party leader will wield significant influence over the nomination process for the local elections in June of the same year and can also enhance their position as a potential presidential candidate. According to the existing Democratic Party constitution, a party leader must resign one year before the presidential election to run. However, following a decision by the party’s executive committee last month, an exception clause was introduced allowing the resignation deadline to be extended, enabling the new party leader to pursue the presidential path without interruption until 2027.