[Politics, That Day...] Presidential Candidate's 'Best Specs' and the 'Mysterious Wall' Even Go Geon Could Not Overcome

Experience as Prime Minister and Acting President Twice, Rated a 'Political Blue Chip'... January 16, 2007, Withdrawal from Presidential Race Without Press Conference, Turmoil in the Presidential Race

[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 noteworthy scenes, events, and figures.

"The walls of the political parties were too high, and I felt the limitations of real politics." On January 16, 2007, former Prime Minister Go Geon declared his withdrawal from the presidential race through a statement. It was a decisive moment that shaped the 2007 presidential election landscape. Although former Prime Minister Go Geon had firmly decided not to run, he had to give up without even holding a press conference.

This was because his ardent supporters blocked the press conference venue, shouting "Oppose withdrawal." Some supporters even hinted at extreme measures, demanding his candidacy. However, the long march toward the presidential election lost momentum from that day onward.

The Go Geon presidential candidate card, who was the top pick in political circles, thus went up in smoke. What is noteworthy is that at the time, the ruling party prepared for the 2007 presidential election focusing solely on the two syllables "Go Geon." Former Prime Minister Go Geon was once regarded as a strong contender, with approval ratings soaring to around 30%.

The 2007 presidential election held at the end of the Participatory Government’s term was expected to be a tough battle for the then-ruling party. On the Hannara Party side, prominent politicians Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye enjoyed soaring approval ratings, raising expectations that "running for president = winning."

On the other hand, except for former Prime Minister Go Geon, the ruling party’s main candidates showed negligible support levels in the 1% range. With the disappearance of the strong presidential card Go Geon, the ruling party faced the reality of having no alternatives. This happened 11 months before the 2007 presidential election. It was a thunderbolt situation for the ruling party.

The decisive reason former Prime Minister Go Geon chose to withdraw from the presidential race was the uncertainty about the future. If he had judged that he had a high chance of being selected as the ruling party’s presidential candidate and winning the presidency in the general election, he would not have declared his withdrawal.

Former Prime Minister Go Geon’s remark that the walls of the political parties were high sounds meaningful. He was known as a master of administration. He served as a member of the National Assembly, Minister of the Interior, Mayor of Seoul, and Prime Minister under both the People’s Government and the Participatory Government. He also acted as the Acting President.

His strengths lie in his insight into overall state affairs, understanding and control of the civil service community, and extensive networks inside and outside the political world. Especially when comparing his specs based on administrative experience, he possessed top-tier qualifications that would not fall short compared to any presidential candidate in history.

The problem is that experience and stability alone are not enough to overcome the huge mountain called the presidential election. For a figure who has been active outside Yeouido politics to enter a party and pass the party primary, personal support as well as organizational and sponsorship groups must back him up.

If the core forces of the party do not firmly support him, he will inevitably experience limitations blocked by the walls of the party. It means it is difficult to be confident even about passing the party primary, let alone the general election.

The ruling party’s presidential candidates sighed in relief at former Prime Minister Go Geon’s withdrawal declaration, who was a strong competitor, but the aftershocks were not insignificant. The political dynamism weakened as the only candidate with some possibility disappeared amid an uncertain presidential outlook.

There was a scenario to unite forces inside and outside the party to launch a ‘new party’ and make a bold move, but there was no suitable figure to lead it. When the ruling party’s presidential prospects become uncertain, internal conflicts intensify, cracks appear in the support base, and the competitiveness in the presidential race worsens in a vicious cycle.

The 2007 presidential election ended in a record defeat for the then pan-liberal camp. Although they launched the Grand Unified Democratic New Party and participated in the election, they failed to win the people’s choice. What if former Prime Minister Go Geon had run as a presidential candidate? What would the result have been?

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