Black Hole of 'Gobal Saju' Suspicion... Worried Opposition Presidential Candidates Facing a Tough Road

Presidential Candidates Campaigning in Regions Like TK and PK
First Cutoff on 15th After Polls on 13th and 14th

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] As the ‘accusation scandal’ suspicion absorbs all issues in the political sphere, voices of concern about the failure of public interest are emerging even within the People Power Party’s presidential candidate camps currently holding primaries.

Park Min-sik (center), a former lawmaker and member of the Yoon Seok-yeol National Campaign Political Conspiracy Truth Investigation Special Committee, and his lawyers held a press conference on the morning of the 13th in front of the Government Complex Gwacheon before submitting a complaint to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials against Park Ji-won, the National Intelligence Service Director, and Cho Seong-eun, among others, on charges of violating the National Intelligence Service Act and the Public Official Election Act. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 13th, the People Power Party will conduct a public opinion poll for the first cut-off in the presidential primary. The poll will be conducted until the 14th, with 80% of the weight given to general public opinion and 20% to party members with voting rights, aiming to narrow down 11 candidates to 8. While the presidential candidates are engaging in regional schedules to capture public sentiment, the election atmosphere is not heated. The failure to hold debates and the accusation scandal spreading into a ‘revelation scandal’ have caused public interest in the primary itself to wane.

People Power Party candidates generally express concerns about the possibility that Park Ji-won, the Director of the National Intelligence Service, is involved in this incident. Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min demanded an immediate investigation of the NIS director through social media (SNS). Former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung actively voiced his stance, meeting with former Prosecutor General Yoon the day before to express a joint response to the issue. Kim Young-woo, Situation Room Chief of Choi Jae-hyung’s camp, stated, "This matter is a serious threat to electoral democracy and a repetition of old-fashioned political manipulation, and we will respond firmly."

While there is a common concern that the fallout might affect themselves or the entire party, there is also a cautionary view that the bigger the issue grows, the more it could become a negative factor for the entire opposition ahead of the presidential election. Lee Myung, spokesperson for Hong Joon-pyo’s camp, said, "It is regrettable that the entire party’s issue is being engulfed by the machinations of one person (Cho Seong-eun)," adding, "It is unfortunate that central politics is focusing only on one person’s words." Lee Soo-hee, spokesperson for Yoo’s camp, also emphasized the importance of quickly clarifying the facts and publicly disclosing them to the people, stressing the need for a swift resolution.

Meanwhile, on the same day, each candidate carried out schedules in key electoral regions such as Yeongnam. Former Prosecutor General Yoon visited Andong, Gyeongbuk, while Hong and Yoo held schedules in Daegu. Former Chairman Choi visited Busan, and former Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong toured the Gyeongnam area. The reason candidates are solidifying their traditional strongholds is due to the need to secure a favorable position in the cut-off ranking to be announced on the 15th, as well as to capture public sentiment ahead of Chuseok. A People Power Party presidential election management committee official stated, "Regarding the first cut-off results, only the names will be announced in alphabetical order without revealing rankings or vote percentages." However, even if the election commission does not disclose rankings directly, it is common for rankings to be revealed through the media and other channels.

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