Silent Rising Opposition Figures Warming Up, Weighing the Timing for Deployment [Political Spotlight]

Non-Lee Faction Steps Up Rhetoric
Warm-Up Moves Unavoidable Despite Impeachment Turmoil, Given Lee Jaemyung's Standing
"Raising Issues Over the Political Situation After Impeachment"

As the possibility of an early presidential election becomes a reality, the non-Lee Jae-myung (non-Myung) faction presidential candidates of the Democratic Party of Korea have begun their full-fledged moves. This marks the beginning of the warm-up by potential contenders who could influence the Democratic Party's power dynamics, which had been virtually a 'one-pole system' under Lee Jae-myung's leadership.

According to political circles on the 22nd, the tone of statements from potential presidential candidates within the Democratic Party, who had expressed similar views during the impeachment phase, is intensifying. Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum hinted at a possible presidential run in a media interview, saying, "If asked to take the lead, I will." At a meeting with reporters on the 20th, Kim also mentioned regarding the party's declining approval ratings, "It seems there is disappointment over the Democratic Party not leading the government more comfortably after the impeachment motion." Former Presidential Secretary Im Jong-seok pointed out on social media the day before, "The current Democratic Party, which lightly regards dialogue and compromise and looks only to Representative Lee, stifling internal democracy, can it really gain the trust of the people?" Former Governor of Gyeongnam Kim Kyung-soo recently suggested on social media, "Extreme hatred and overthrow, unilateralism that does not accept differences, arrogance and pride... We must go in the exact opposite direction."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is touching his face at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 22nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

This trend differentiates itself from the similar voices raised during President Yoon Seok-youl's impeachment and arrest phases. The political circles interpret this in connection with the early presidential election. There is also a sense of restraint from the mainstream faction regarding the moves of potential contenders within the party. The logic is that in a situation where the internal turmoil has not yet been resolved, actions that could be seen as internal power struggles should be avoided.

However, from the perspective of the party's non-mainstream faction, to change the flow of the presidential race, they have no choice but to raise their voices despite internal criticism. Considering the possibility of an early presidential election following President Yoon's impeachment acceptance, time is running out. Given Representative Lee's solid position within the party, there is also a practical reason that other candidates must be mentioned as presidential contenders in the 'Seol public sentiment' to respond to changes in the political environment.

There is also an analysis that opposition potential contenders' actions are driven not only by the desire to become president but also by a sense of political responsibility. Judicial risks remain a variable factor, such as the possibility that the second trial result of Representative Lee's Public Official Election Act case may come out before the presidential election. This is also linked to the opposition party's internal considerations of a 'Plan B.'

Moreover, there is an analysis that this should not be seen merely as a 'warm-up' within the opposition ahead of the Seol public sentiment. It is explained as criticism of the overall response to the political situation after the impeachment. An opposition party official said, "This should not be seen only as a move to secure political space ahead of the Lunar New Year," adding, "Concerns have grown over the Democratic Party's inadequate response to the political situation after the impeachment." The official criticized, "Isn't it true that the Democratic Party has shown off its strength a lot? They should have divided conservatives into those who recognize the 1987 Constitution and those who do not, treating the former as partners for cooperation and competition and the latter as targets for condemnation, but they failed to make this distinction."

Hong Hyung-sik, director of Hangil Research, argued, "The series of actions the Democratic Party showed during the impeachment crisis violated universal values one by one," and claimed, "The impeachment and pressure on Han Duck-soo and Choi Sang-mok showed that they had no regard for national stability, which could be a value of centrism."