Intensifying Political Tensions Between Ruling and Opposition Parties Over Lee Jae-myung's Candidacy

Kim Dong-yeon and Song Young-gil 'Welcome' Lee Jae-myung's Candidacy
Hwang Gyu-hwan on Kim Dong-yeon Supporting Lee Jae-myung: "A Perfect Harmony Between Lee Jae-myung Who Fled Gyeonggi Province and His Devotees"
Park Young-sun: "Lee Jae-myung's Entry Brings Conflicted Feelings Amid Principles and Fairness"

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, who was defeated in the presidential election, is giving a greeting speech at the disbandment ceremony of the campaign headquarters held at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 10th. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Se-eun] The ruling Democratic Party and the opposition are engaged in a tense battle following the news of Lee Jae-myung, the party's standing adviser, running in the by-election.

Kim Dong-yeon, former Deputy Prime Minister and candidate for Gyeonggi Province governor, posted on his Facebook on the 7th, saying, "Standing Adviser Lee Jae-myung has decided to run for 'infinite responsibility,'" and added, "I try to understand the deep and profound deliberation behind this decision."

Kim said, "I agree with the statement that personal gains and losses are secondary," and recalled, "When Lee Jae-myung and I joined hands in the last presidential election to break the vested interest structure through a value alliance, we shared that mindset."

He continued, "I sincerely hope for his victory," and added, "Now, I am also running as a Democratic Party candidate for the Gyeonggi Province governor election. I will unite efforts to realize the value of the 'Joint Declaration for Political Change.'"

Democratic Party Seoul mayoral candidate Song Young-gil also welcomed the standing adviser's candidacy in the by-election.

Song said, "The party's firm decision and Standing Adviser Lee Jae-myung's resolution have become a message of hope to party members and supporters," and expressed hope that "his candidacy will be a great turning point for the development of Gyeyang and Incheon, as well as a focal point for victory in this local election."

On the other hand, voices criticizing Standing Adviser Lee Jae-myung have also been strong both inside and outside the Democratic Party.

Hwang Gyu-hwan, spokesperson for Kim Eun-hye, the People Power Party's candidate for Gyeonggi Province governor, criticized on the same day, saying, "(The standing adviser) once said he would protect Gyeonggi Province while making disparaging remarks about Incheon, but now without a single apology, he is only taking the 'shallow and shallow trick' of choosing the easy path."

He added, "He irresponsibly left behind numerous scandals involving Daejang-dong, Baekhyeon-dong, and local currency, and then walked away as if he didn't know anything."

Kim Dong-yeon's Facebook post also became a target of Hwang's criticism.

Hwang said, "This morning, former Governor Lee Jae-myung justified his 'eat-and-run' behavior with the absurd excuse of 'infinite responsibility,' and candidate Kim Dong-yeon eagerly echoed this by saying he 'agrees.' This is a perfect harmony between the 'fugitive' Lee Jae-myung who has blocked his ears to the anger of the residents watching and the 'Lee Jae-myung admirer.'"

He continued, "From today, it has become clear that candidate Kim Dong-yeon can abandon and leave Gyeonggi Province anytime according to his own interests if necessary," and emphasized, "Now, there is only one way for these two to take 'infinite responsibility' before the residents: resignation."

Last December, former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun visited Sinyeong Market in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, and held a meeting with small business owners. Photo by Asia Economy

Former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun also expressed a negative view on Standing Adviser Lee Jae-myung's candidacy in Incheon's Gyeyang district.

Previously, Park criticized Park Ji-hyun, co-chair of the Democratic Party's Emergency Response Committee, for strategically nominating Lee Jae-myung in Incheon's Gyeyang district instead of Seongnam.

Park Ji-hyun explained the background of the strategic nomination by saying, "If defending Seongnam is Lee Jae-myung's political hometown justification, then drafting him to Gyeyang is the Democratic Party's justification to block the Yoon Seok-yeol government's unilateral rule and protect the people and democracy."

Park Young-sun criticized, "The expression 'Democratic Party's justification' is likely to backfire over time," and added, "Although there is advice to 'embrace it greatly and turn a blind eye' since it has come to this, the future ahead looks too chaotic to do so."

She continued, "I still hope based on a sense of loyalty, but my heart becomes more confused in front of the values of principle and fairness," and said, "The heavy smoke that silence cannot resolve makes breathing very difficult."

She said, "Among various fields in South Korea, the political world is the best at maintaining a flexible standard," and especially during the nomination season, it is worse. She expressed disappointment, saying, "The two incidents on the 6th in the political world ? Lee Jae-myung's strategic nomination in Gyeyang and Ahn Cheol-soo's declaration to run in Bundang-gap ? are extensions of such a nomination season, leaving ambiguity."

Meanwhile, former Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung accepted the leadership's strategic nomination decision by posting on Facebook that morning, saying, "I will fully abide by all party decisions. I trust the collective intelligence of the people and will fully immerse myself in the sea of public opinion."

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