[Politics, That Day...] Will 'Octogenarian Veteran Politician' Kim Jong-in Appear on the Presidential Election Posters?

Experience Declaring Presidential Candidacy in Late 70s... Why the Future United Party's 'Kingmaker' Presidential Run Rumors Persist

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] ‘Politics, That Day…’ is a series planning corner that looks back on Korean politics through the ‘recollection of memories’ related to scenes, events, or figures that deserve attention.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

How surprising is it that the name of broadcaster ‘Baek Jong-won’ even came up? The episode surrounding the next presidential candidate of the United Future Party revealed the current state of the main opposition party. Is it due to a yearning for the emergence of a new figure? Or is it a reflection of anxiety about the presidential election?

Whatever the reason, the name Baek Jong-won briefly surfaced as a potential next presidential candidate, but it became a non-issue following the person’s denial. The figure who brought the keyword Baek Jong-won to the political surface was Kim Jong-in, the Emergency Committee Chairman of the United Future Party.

Born in July 1940, he is an old statesman aged 81 in Korean age and 79 in international age. He is a figure who has raised his profile as a ‘kingmaker’ in every presidential election. His ability to reprocess the opponent’s core policies and use them as a means of attack is outstanding. A representative example is his contribution to the election of President Park Geun-hye based on the keyword ‘economic democratization.’

Whether he intended it or not, the Baek Jong-won controversy shook the positions of other presidential candidates in the United Future Party. It can be interpreted as meaning that the party lacks figures to the extent that even a broadcaster who does not know a thing about politics can surpass them.

On the 23rd, United Future Party lawmaker Jang Je-won appeared on KBS’s ‘Sasa Geon Geon’ program and said, “When I heard Emergency Committee Chairman Kim Jong-in talk about Baek Jong-won, I doubted my ears,” and pointed out, “Isn’t he ridiculing the precious assets and potential presidential candidates of our United Future Party? It was absurd.”

An interesting point is the behind-the-scenes story overshadowed by Kim Jong-in Chairman’s Baek Jong-won presidential candidate theory. Although he appeared to reveal the meaning of a kingmaker this time as well, the political circles in Yeouido are paying attention to the possibility that he might play as a player rather than a referee.

That is the rumor of Kim Jong-in’s presidential candidacy. Considering Kim Jong-in Chairman’s situation, who is in his 80s in international age as of 2022, his presidential candidacy may seem surprising, but it is difficult to conclude hastily.

Just three years ago, at the age of late 70s, ‘politician Kim Jong-in’ declared his challenge for the presidency. On April 5, 2017, he held a press conference at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeouido, Seoul, and threw his hat into the ring for the presidential election, saying, “We must overcome the crisis with a unified government and set the country right.”

This happened just one month before the presidential election. At that time, politician Kim Jong-in targeted Moon Jae-in, the leading presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, “The candidate who claims that all the past years were corrupt and wants to dig into the past insists he is the trend,” and “This is not something a person who reads ‘3D printer’ as ‘Samdi printer’ can do. Incompetence is a sin for those responsible for state affairs.”

Kim Jong-in, floor leader of the United Future Party, is attending the joint meeting of the Supreme Council members and senior lawmakers held at the National Assembly on the 24th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The reason why Kim Jong-in’s candidacy theory attracted attention even then was the expectation that he could shake up the scene through unified leadership after gaining strength based on support from so-called dignitaries. Considering his age and the political dynamics, it is not easy to realize his dream of becoming president, but it means he could be a variable.

Politicians prepare to run or declare candidacy for various reasons. However, not all of them get the opportunity to be chosen by the people as a candidate of a specific party or as an independent presidential candidate.

Many choose to withdraw their candidacy or do not register as a presidential candidate after declaring their intention to run. Declaring candidacy itself is a choice that can receive media spotlight, so they throw their hat into the ring first but then turn to non-candidacy considering various issues such as the possibility of winning and the political funds needed for the election.

What was politician Kim Jong-in’s choice? Just one week after declaring his candidacy, on April 12, 2017, he announced his withdrawal from the presidential race. In the end, he did not make it onto the ‘presidential election poster.’ He said, “My effort as a presidential candidate to form a unified government and overcome the imminent national crisis will stop today,” and gave up his presidential dream.

The 2022 presidential election is now less than 1 year and 9 months away. Why is there speculation that politician Kim Jong-in will appear as a player this time as well? Regarding the so-called Kim Jong-in presidential candidacy theory, a presidential candidate of the United Future Party said this.

Former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon holds an emergency press conference at the National Assembly on the 12th. At this event, former Mayor Oh declared his return to the party convention. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 24th, former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon appeared on CBS Radio’s ‘Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show’ and said, “Seeing him so actively engaged and successfully making issues now, he has sufficient qualifications,” and “Depending on future achievements, it is not possible to exclude the possibility that discussions will proceed accordingly.”

Former Mayor Oh’s message can also be interpreted as a warning shot to Chairman Kim Jong-in. The mention of “the possibility of running for president” can affect his status as a kingmaker. Chairman Kim Jong-in is effectively playing the role of the representative of the United Future Party as the election manager, but if he himself runs as a player, it will be difficult to maintain the authority and position of a manager.

Politics is a living organism. How many people expected politician Kim Jong-in to throw his hat into the ring just one month before the 2017 presidential election? The 2022 March presidential election is also a situation that no one can assert confidently. If no prominent presidential candidate emerges from the United Future Party, the Kim Jong-in presidential candidacy theory is likely to gain momentum again.

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