[4·15 General Election In-Depth Analysis] The Tumultuous Election History of Suncheon (Part 2)

Humiliation of the Democratic Party in Suncheon... Over a Decade of Division and Betrayal Prevail

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] The feud between Noh Gwan-gyu and Seo Gap-won began during the 2004 general election. Noh Gwan-gyu, who ran in the 17th general election as a candidate from the Millennium Democratic Party, was defeated by Seo Gap-won of the Uri Party amid the backlash from the impeachment.

Afterwards, Noh Gwan-gyu found a new political path by winning the mayoral election of Suncheon, Jeollanam-do as a Democratic Party candidate in the 2006 4th simultaneous local elections. In the 2010 5th simultaneous local elections, he further strengthened his political stature by winning the Suncheon mayoral seat as an independent.

However, when his political rival, Congressman Seo Gap-won, lost his seat in 2011 due to a violation of the Political Funds Act and a by-election was confirmed, Noh resigned from the mayoral office in December of that year with 2 years and 6 months left in his term. He ran as a Democratic United Party candidate but failed to overcome Kim Seon-dong of the Unified Progressive Party, facing criticism for abandoning citizens for his political ambitions just one year before the Suncheon Bay International Garden Expo.

Before the February 2010 local elections, which he contested as an independent after leaving the Democratic Party, he stated, "The rumors about my running for the National Assembly are slanderous stories spread by some mayoral candidates' camps, and I plan to successfully conclude the Suncheon Bay International Garden Expo," which caused significant backlash from citizens.

Kim Seon-dong, who entered the National Assembly through the April 2011 by-election, protested the Korea-US FTA agreement at the year-end plenary session by opening a tear gas canister and throwing powder, leading to his indictment for violating the Act on the Control of Firearms, Knives, and Explosives. In June 2014, two years later, the Supreme Court confirmed a suspended sentence resulting in the loss of his seat, prompting a sudden by-election.

Prior to that, in December 2012, Park Geun-hye was elected president in the 18th presidential election, and Lee Jeong-hyun from Gokseong emerged as a key figure in the Blue House while serving as Senior Secretary for Political Affairs. Subsequently, Lee Jeong-hyun announced his candidacy for the July 2014 17th by-election. Since the 19th general election, the electoral district included his hometown Gokseong County, and buoyed by expectations as a ruling party heavyweight, he boldly challenged the local political structure.

Lee Jeong-hyun had previously run for city councilor in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju in 1995 as a member of the New Korea Party, and had consecutively lost in the 17th and 19th general elections in Gwangju Seo-gu Eul. He also had experience winning his first gold badge as a proportional representative for the Saenuri Party in the 18th general election. He had his own strategies for campaigning, and his somewhat reckless challenge succeeded.

His strategy was to leverage the "budget bomb" from the only Honam heavyweight and promote a humble image through bicycle campaigning. At that time, the Democratic Party primary saw Noh Gwan-gyu, who lost in the 19th general election, and Seo Gap-won, who was pardoned and reinstated at the end of the Lee Myung-bak administration, competing again.

Seo Gap-won, who was serving as the chairman of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy's Suncheon-Gokseong regional committee, was selected as the candidate by blocking the entry of Noh Gwan-gyu's supporting delegates during the field primary but ultimately lost to Lee Jeong-hyun.

According to local political rumors at the time, there were various theories such as Noh Gwan-gyu's supporters who lost in the primary switching to support Lee Jeong-hyun, and the independent mayor's camp secretly supporting Lee Jeong-hyun, but none were confirmed as fact.

There were also rumors that the then mayor rejoined the Democratic Party and actively supported President Moon Jae-in during the 2017 presidential election to make up for past losses, resulting in the highest nationwide support votes. Some also claimed that he avoided being cut off in the 2018 mayoral primary and was able to run as a primary candidate.

Anyway, Lee Jeong-hyun, who won over the Suncheon public sentiment that had turned its back on the Democratic Party, enjoyed consecutive victories in the 20th general election held in April 2016. In the 20th general election, Noh Gwan-gyu and Kim Kwang-jin competed in the primary, with Noh securing the Democratic Party nomination, but he was defeated by Lee Jeong-hyun in the main election amid adverse events such as "journalist accusations."

Shortly after the election, then-party leader Moon Jae-in came to campaign in Suncheon, and Noh posted on Facebook blaming the loss on this, which drew heavy criticism from Moon supporters.

Noh Gwan-gyu and Seo Gap-won deepened their emotional rift through repeated confrontations in various elections held in Suncheon since 2004.

In October 2017, Noh ran for the Suncheon city party committee chairman primary but Seo Gap-won was selected by the central party's organizational strengthening special committee, and in the 2018 7th local elections, Seo recommended many of his acquaintances who were elected in large numbers.

On the other hand, Noh Gwan-gyu's acquaintances were largely eliminated in party primaries, and the confrontation and conflict continued until recently. Noh, who was not selected as party committee chairman, expressed his intention to run for governor of Jeollanam-do but withdrew citing family issues.

Although it was once suggested that family matters would make it difficult for him to run, he officially entered the 21st general election. However, conflict with Seo Gap-won was unavoidable. The two, who started preparing early for the primary, avoided shaking hands even when meeting at alma mater events, and it was reported that they raised their voices and fought in front of the Democratic Party's nomination management committee during the cut-off interview, showing that old grudges remained unresolved.

Ultimately, the deep conflict between the two caused considerable shock and disappointment to the Democratic Party's nomination management committee. It was judged that their conflict was difficult to heal, possibly creating the necessity to nominate a new figure for the first time in 20 years.

It is also worth listening to a party official's remark that the strategic nomination card was pulled out to resolve the conflict between local politicians beyond the issue of district division.

When the central party strategically nominated former prosecutor So Byung-chul last March, the two united and even held a joint press conference, demanding the withdrawal of the strategic nomination and the implementation of a primary. It was said that the two held hands for the first time in over 10 years.

In the end, Seo Gap-won criticized the central party's strategic nomination and withdrew to Seoul, while Noh Gwan-gyu once again left the party and declared his independent candidacy. This is his second departure from the Democratic Party after 2010. Despite being nominated twice as the Democratic Party's general election candidate and losing in the main election, he donned the independent label again.

Whether he can overcome this history of humiliation and be elected as an independent in the 21st general election, or whether the Democratic Party candidate can achieve the glory of victory for the first time in over 10 years, is a matter of interest for the citizens of Suncheon.

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