"Unacceptable" Democratic Party Busan, Controversy Over Nomination of Basic Local Government Heads Causes Stir

Former City Councilor Gwak Dong-hyeok Submits Resignation... Former City Councilor Park Seong-yun Announces Resignation
Jo Young-jin, Former Busanjin-eul Chairman, "Someone Must Take Responsibility for the Outcome"

Yun Hojung, Co-Chairman of the Democratic Party's Emergency Response Committee, is bowing in greeting after finishing his speech at the Policy Members' General Meeting held at the National Assembly on the 12th. Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Ju Cheol-in] The Democratic Party of Korea's Busan City Party Public Office Election Candidate Recommendation Management Committee has caused a stir around the party by making single-candidate nominations for 13 basic local government heads in the June 1 local elections.

Some candidates who were eliminated have shown resistance by leaving the party and requesting reconsideration, causing 'nomination noise.'

According to the Democratic Party of Korea's Busan City Party on the 13th, former and current Busan city council members who had thrown their hats in the ring for basic local government heads in Busan, including Gwak Dong-hyeok (Suyeong-gu), Park Seong-yoon (Yeongdo-gu), Kim Moon-gi (Dongnae-gu), and Lee Soon-young (Buk-gu), were eliminated.

The Democratic Party of Korea's Busan City Party made single-candidate recommendations in 13 out of 16 basic local government head electoral districts in the Busan area. In nine districts with incumbent district heads?Yeongdo-gu, Busanjin-gu, Buk-gu, Geumjeong-gu, Dong-gu, Nam-gu, Saha-gu, Yeonje-gu, and Haeundae-gu?the incumbent district heads were nominated as single candidates.

Additionally, Moon Chang-moo, a Busan City Council member from Jung-gu who was the sole candidate, and Jeong Jin-young, a former Seo-gu Council member from Seo-gu, were also nominated as single candidates.

In Suyeong-gu, Park Byeong-yeom, chairman of the Suyeong Love Forum, was nominated as the single candidate. Chairman Park was recruited at the Suyeong-gu regional committee level and is considered a close associate of regional committee head Kang Yoon-kyung.

In Dongnae-gu, the current district head candidate Kim Woo-ryong and Dongnae-gu Council Chairperson Joo Soon-hee will compete in a primary. In two other areas, Sasang-gu and Gijang-gun, the candidate nomination review is currently underway by the nomination committee.

The problem is that former and current Busan city council members who had declared their candidacy are protesting, saying they "cannot accept the nomination results."

Gwak Dong-hyeok, who resigned early from his city council position to run for Suyeong-gu district head, submitted his resignation from the party immediately after the nomination results were announced and plans to declare his intention to run as an independent on the 14th.

Former city council member Park Seong-yoon also applied for reconsideration to the central party on the 12th and stated that if it is not accepted, he will not hesitate to leave the party.

Former Busanjin District Committee Chairperson Jo Young-jin said on his SNS on the 13th, "There is no representative player who can lead to victory," and "After completing the basic local government head nomination review, I am filled with concern."

He added, "From the citizens' perspective, it ended in a way that is puzzling to the point of not understanding the reason, let alone empathy," and directly stated, "Someone must take responsibility for the results."

A local political insider said, "It appears that the Democratic Party, which achieved a landslide victory in the local elections four years ago, strategically made single-candidate nominations for incumbent heads to maintain their hold," adding, "The key issue is whether the party can quickly resolve the internal election aftereffects and noise caused by the nomination results."

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