Cheongwadae, Prosecution and Police, Judges, and Heads of Institutions... Resignation 'Rush' Ahead of General Election

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Park Cheol-eung and Oh Sang-do] A wave of public officials aiming to run in the general election have resigned en masse. This rush spans not only the Blue House but also heads of public institutions, prosecutors, police officers, and judges.

It is estimated that more than 60 individuals from the Blue House have expressed their intention to run in the general election. On the 15th, a day before the resignation deadline for public officials, Ko Min-jung, Blue House spokesperson, Yoo Song-hwa, director of the Press Office, and Kwon Hyang-yeop, Secretary for Balanced Personnel, submitted their resignations, boarding the 'last train' for the general election.

Former spokesperson Ko said, "I have served as the president's voice for three years, but now I intend to become the voice of the people, pursuing my own convictions and political goals."

Ko’s likely constituencies include Goyang-byeong in Gyeonggi Province (vacated by Kim Hyun-mi, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport), Goyang-jeong (vacated by Yoo Eun-hye, Minister of Education), and Seoul Gwangjin-eul (vacated by Chu Mi-ae, Minister of Justice), all areas where incumbent lawmakers are not running.

Earlier, Yoon Gun-young, former head of the Blue House Office for National Policy Planning, appeared on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" on the 16th, stating, "This general election should be an opportunity to complete the spirit of the candlelight protests," and added, "It is natural that good resources from the Blue House, civil society, academia, and various fields are fully mobilized." Yoon is likely to run in Seoul Guro-eul.

Former economic advisor Joo Hyung-chul is expected to run in Daejeon Dong-gu, while former public communication chief Yoon Young-chan (Seongnam Jungwon, Gyeonggi), former political secretary Han Byung-do (Iksan-eul, Jeonbuk), former job secretary Jung Tae-ho (Gwanak-eul, Seoul), and former civil society secretary Lee Yong-seon (Yangcheon-eul, Seoul) are already actively campaigning.

The Democratic Party is even deliberating how to list the backgrounds of Blue House officials during the candidate nomination process. There is considerable criticism that the Blue House is acting as a 'campaign headquarters' for the general election.

Among former prosecutors, Lee Jeong-man, former head of the Cheonan branch of Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office, declared his candidacy for the general election in Cheonan-gap, Chungnam, as a member of the Korean Party. He is known for having attended a 'Dialogue with Prosecutors' with former President Roh Moo-hyun and raising suspicions about presidential family personnel involvement. Hwang Un-ha, former head of Daejeon Police Agency and current director of the Police Human Resources Development Institute, has also submitted his resignation and declared his candidacy. Hwang, a symbolic figure in the adjustment of investigative authority between police and prosecutors, is likely to run in Daejeon Jung-gu. In Chungnam Boryeong, Jang Dong-hyuk, a native and chief judge of Gwangju District Court, is expected to join the Korean Party and declare his candidacy.

As of this day, six heads of nationwide public institutions have resigned for the general election. Including regional public institution heads, the number is estimated to exceed ten. These institutions are expected to enter interim management systems, raising concerns about significant operational gaps.

Lee Sang-jik, former chairman of the Small and Medium Business Corporation, recently held a retirement ceremony and stepped down. Although his term was until March next year, he expressed his intention to resign after only one year and ten months. Earlier, Lee Kang-rae, president of Korea Expressway Corporation, and Kim Hyung-geun, president of Korea Gas Safety Corporation, resigned to run in the general election. Chairpersons of pension and mutual aid associations such as Kim Seong-joo of the National Pension Service, Cha Seong-joo of the Teachers' Mutual Aid Association, and Han Kyung-ho of the Administrative Mutual Aid Association also resigned in succession.

Chairman Kim Seong-joo also stepped down with about a year left in his term. Recently, controversy arose over allegations of 'pre-election campaigning' after it was revealed that some Onnuri gift certificates awarded to National Pension Service employees were donated to a senior center in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju. Kim is known to be a likely candidate in his region.

President Lee Kang-rae of the Expressway Corporation also left with one year remaining in his term. Throughout his tenure, the corporation faced conflicts over the conversion of tollgate fee collectors to regular employees. On the 10th of last month, the corporation announced it would directly employ about 280 fee collectors currently involved in a first-instance labor status confirmation lawsuit. Lee was criticized for possibly pacifying the labor union ahead of the general election.

Kang Tae-woong, Seoul City’s first deputy mayor for administration, declared his candidacy for Yongsan, Seoul, on the 15th, saying, "I am about to start a new journey in politics." He is reported to have received an invitation from the Democratic Party. Previously, Kim Won-i, former Seoul City political deputy mayor, and Yoon Jun-byeong, former first deputy mayor for administration, also resigned and declared their candidacies for Mokpo, Jeonnam, and Jeongeup-Gochang, Jeonbuk, respectively, as members of the Democratic Party.

In Gyeonggi Province, Kim Yong, former spokesperson for Gyeonggi Province and a close aide to Governor Lee Jae-myung, resigned last November and is currently active as a preliminary candidate in Seongnam Bundang-gap, the constituency of Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byung-kwan. Former Gyeonggi policy chief Jo Gye-won resigned at the end of last month and held a book concert in Yeosu on the 12th to prepare for his candidacy in his hometown, Yeosu-gap, Jeonnam. Lee Hwa-young, former peace deputy governor of Gyeonggi Province, who recently submitted his resignation, is also expected to challenge Yongin-gap.

In Incheon, Heo Jong-sik, former political deputy mayor for balanced development of Incheon and a former reporter for The Hankyoreh newspaper, resigned last month and is preparing to run in Michuhol-gap.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.