'The Han Seon-gyo Rebellion'... Hwang Kyo-ahn's Campaign Committee Faces First Test

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kim Hye-min] Less than a day after Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the United Future Party, took charge and called for a transition to a campaign committee system, he has encountered difficulties. This is because no United Future Party candidates were included within the top 20 proportional representation candidates in the nomination results of the satellite party, the Future Korea Party. Amid talks of a 'Han Seon-gyo rebellion,' the United Future Party has stated it will express its opinions at the party level, escalating tensions into a direct confrontation between the United Future Party and the Future Korea Party.

Shim Jae-cheol, floor leader, told reporters after the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly main building on the 17th, "We have not decided on a direction yet but are discussing various options," and regarding the Future Korea Party's proportional representation nominations, he said, "We will express opinions at the party level." He explained that the fact that United Future Party recruits were placed lower on the proportional representation list is "currently a problem" and "there is a difference from the recruitment expectations."

Although they are sister parties, intervening in another party's nominations could raise election law violation issues. However, Shim said, "Even if we intervene, we do not have voting rights, so it is not like that," and added, "It depends on what is considered intervention." This is interpreted to mean that simple expression of opinions is unlikely to be deemed illegal.

Earlier, on the 16th, the Future Korea Party finalized a list of 40 proportional representation candidates, including former Dong-A Ilbo editorial writer Cho Su-jin. Cho was previously controversial for using expressions like 'Daekkaemun (supporters of Moon Jae-in no matter what)' and 'Daekkaejo (supporters of Cho Kuk no matter what)' on the comprehensive programming channel Channel A. Also, at number 2 on the proportional list was Shin Won-sik, former commander of the Army Capital Defense Command, who made critical remarks about the current government's North Korea policy, and at number 3 was Kim Ye-ji, a visually impaired pianist and the first recruited talent.

The problem is that within the top 20, considered a winning position, only one recruit from the United Future Party, Jeong Seon-mi, secretary general of the Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea, was included. Other United Future Party recruits such as Yoon Joo-kyung, former director of the Independence Hall, Jeon Ju-hye, former chief judge, Yoon Chang-hyun, former president of the Korea Financial Research Institute, and Park Dae-sung, Facebook Korea and Japan external policy vice president, were placed after the 20th position. Ji Seong-ho, a defector and human rights activist and the first recruit of the United Future Party, received the 4th succession candidate position, which is a preliminary candidate status.

It is reported that Leader Hwang was furious upon receiving the proportional representation candidate list in which many of the talents he had painstakingly recruited were excluded. While Hwang intended to quell the nomination controversy and lead the campaign committee as the overall campaign committee chairman, Han Seon-gyo, leader of the Future Korea Party, has taken a defiant stance. The Future Korea Party, which started as a satellite party, appears to be attempting to pursue an independent path from the United Future Party. Previously, Han proposed an alliance to Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, and the Future Korea Party’s nomination committee also indicated an independent path by stating they would not favor recruits from the United Future Party.

Accordingly, attention is focused on whether Leader Hwang, who leads the campaign committee, will step in to resolve the nomination turmoil caused by the Future Korea Party. United Future Party members within the Future Korea Party’s supreme council opposed the candidate list led by Han, causing the supreme council meeting on the 16th to be canceled due to lack of quorum. It is still undecided when the supreme council will reconvene. Yeom Dong-ryeol, chairman of the United Future Party’s talent recruitment committee, also expressed opposition in a statement, saying, "The Future Korea Party, which claims to be the representative proportional party of conservative forces, has thrown away the dedication of recruits like trash with self-contradictory nominations."

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