[The Editors' Verdict] People Power Party Must Not Become a Host Party

Park Sang-byeong (Political Commentator)

The by-elections for the mayors of Seoul and Busan on April 7 next year are now just 100 days away. The long, tedious, and uncomfortable 'Chu-Yoon (Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol) conflict' seems to be settling down. Although the important event of the launch of the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Agency remains, it should already be regarded as a fait accompli, as it symbolizes prosecutorial reform. This is because the Blue House and the ruling party are in a situation where they cannot back down.

In any case, a shift in the political situation was inevitable from the perspective of the Blue House and the ruling party. This explains President Moon Jae-in’s swift apology. At the same time, the by-election political atmosphere, which is rapidly approaching, is quickly taking shape. In particular, the Seoul mayoral by-election strongly serves as a preliminary battle for the next presidential election. It allows us to read the public sentiment underlying the last year of the Moon Jae-in administration’s term and serves as a gauge to understand the Seoul public opinion, which is a key battleground in the presidential election.

The Democratic Party of Korea appears somewhat confident. Although their approval ratings have dropped, they likely have confidence in creating an opportunity for a rebound. Moreover, their talent pool is relatively strong. The problem lies with the main opposition party, the People Power Party. Although the party’s approval ratings have risen thanks to the harsh public sentiment against the Moon Jae-in administration, they have nothing to offer. The emergency committee led by Kim Jong-in has already been in place for eight months, but despite being called an emergency (非常), emergency seems to have become the norm, making it difficult to find vitality or urgency. Rather than 'creative destruction,' the sight of old-fashioned elements creeping back is almost embarrassing.

This should perhaps be seen as a natural consequence. Various opinion polls show that public sentiment regarding the opposition’s Seoul mayoral election and the next presidential election has already moved away from the People Power Party. For the Seoul mayoral election, Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, and for the presidential election, Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol represent the entire opposition. Of course, this may change in the future, but if the public sentiment Kim Jong-in has faced for eight months is like this, it is more than just a crisis. It means the party has no presence as the main opposition party.

Perhaps for this reason, there is considerable public opinion both inside and outside the People Power Party that they should join hands not only with Prosecutor General Yoon but also with Leader Ahn to form a so-called 'anti-Moon coalition.' In other words, even if the People Power Party becomes the 'host,' it must nurture the surrounding elements. However, what should be abandoned early on must be abandoned. The moment the People Power Party becomes a 'host party,' the opposition supporters may not just withhold votes but throw stones. That is not why they were given 103 seats in the last general election. Nor is it why they waited so long for the Kim Jong-in emergency committee system.

In fact, analyzing the 'tragedy of the host party' is not that complicated. If the main opposition party, which went through an emergency committee system after a crushing defeat in the general election, cannot even properly nominate a candidate for the Seoul mayoral election, then the presidential election a year later should be considered already lost. There will not be many voters willing to entrust the honor of the ruling party to such an incompetent party. Not to mention the presidential election, there is even a possibility that calls to dissolve the party immediately may pour in.

Therefore, it is right for the People Power Party to boldly prepare a fierce battle by inviting many new talents within the party onto the stage starting now. Moreover, a 'primary election rule' that simply relies on public opinion will hardly restore internal momentum. It only facilitates the return of old-fashioned dignitaries. Responsible party members must see with their own eyes, listen with their own ears, and choose the party’s future with their own hands. Only then, even if they fail in the Seoul mayoral by-election, can they survive as the main opposition party and prepare for the next presidential election as a continuation. Nevertheless, mentioning 'big tent' or 'third zone one-shot' regarding the Seoul mayoral candidate already is nothing but confessing to being an incompetent party. They must not disgrace the people who gave them the status of the main opposition party.

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