Amid TK·PK Nomination Controversies... 5-Term Won Yoo-chul Announces Non-Candidacy

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Noise surrounding candidate nominations is spreading mainly in regions with strong support for the United Future Party, such as Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK) and Busan-Gyeongnam (PK). Former leader Hong Joon-pyo has indicated the possibility of running as an independent if he is dropped, expressing his willingness to defy the party’s nomination committee decision. In this situation, former Saenuri Party floor leader Won Yoo-chul’s declaration of not running has bolstered the nomination committee’s stance.

On the 21st, Won issued a statement saying, "To become a small seed for victory in the general election, I will not run in the 21st general election and will devote myself to the victory of the United Future Party," announcing his decision not to run.

Won, the incumbent representative of Pyeongtaek Gap, explained his reason for not running: "If we cannot stop the Moon Jae-in administration’s tyranny in the April 15 general election, the future of the Republic of Korea will inevitably be bleak. As a member of the party leadership, I bear responsibility for the political situation where our party has caused much disappointment to the people due to the failure in the 20th general election and the impeachment of the president." It appears that his recent sentencing to a fine of 900,000 won and a 10-month prison term, which put him at risk of losing his seat, also influenced his decision.

Won, a five-term veteran who served as floor leader during the Saenuri Party era, one of the predecessors of the United Future Party, has intensified pressure within the party for senior members not to run. This also strengthens the nomination committee’s pressure on senior members from TK and PK to step down. Unlike PK, where 10 members have declared they will not run, only five have done so in TK, making additional non-candidacy declarations urgently needed.

Senior members of the United Future Party still suggest they may defy the nomination committee’s decisions and are voicing their opinions. Former leader Hong previously expressed his strong intention to run in Yangsan on his Facebook but posted that the nomination committee requested him to run in Seoul or not run at all. He later stated that if he is dropped, he would consider retiring from politics or running as an independent. Former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Tae-ho has also not abandoned his intention to run in his hometown.

Newly joined lawmakers during the merger are also causing noise. When Rep. Lee Eon-ju hinted at a strategic nomination for Busan Jung-gu and Yeongdo-gu in an interview, local incumbent Rep. Kim Moo-sung and Busan’s Rep. Jang Je-won criticized her. Additionally, a text message from Yoo Seung-min, a former member of the New Conservative Party before the merger, saying "Kim Hyung-o (chairman of the nomination committee) is getting stranger," was detected. In response, party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn said, "Small noise can become a big noise," temporarily settling the issue, but problems may resurface as PK nominations proceed.

Meanwhile, the nomination committee began interviews on the same day for applicants from Seoul, Honam, and Jeju regions. In Seoul, 49 candidates applied for additional nominations in 29 of the 49 constituencies, including many from the New Conservative Party and the Advance Party, leading to competition within the United Future Party. In the TK region, interviews were postponed again due to the spread of COVID-19.

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