Gangseo-gu Defeat Leads to Metropolitan Area Full Deployment of Ruling Party Veterans?..."Not a Card That Can Be Fully Used"

Yeo's Potential Challenge in Seoul Draws Attention as Second Ha Tae-kyung

The People Power Party suffered a crushing defeat in the recent Gangseo District Office by-election, drawing attention to the possibility of senior lawmakers running in the Seoul metropolitan area in next year's general election. Following the lead of Ha Tae-kyung, a three-term People Power Party lawmaker who declared his candidacy for Seoul, there is speculation that a 'second or third Ha Tae-kyung' could emerge. However, some in the political sphere point out that just because senior ruling party members run in the metropolitan area does not necessarily mean they will succeed in the election.

On the 12th, Cho Won-jin, leader of the Our Republican Party, responded to a question about the ruling party's response after the by-election defeat on BBS's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal,' saying, "(Regarding the by-election defeat) it's more about the general election than responsibility," and added, "I believe all lawmakers with three or more terms will simply move to the metropolitan area."

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 12th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

This suggests a high likelihood that senior party members will run in the metropolitan area following the by-election defeat. He said, "If the Yoon core group (key associates of President Yoon Seok-yeol) hold their ground, it will lead to a complete break with the president," and questioned, "What use will the Yoon core group be after the general election?"

He continued, "The president's governance will become difficult. In that case, the three-term lawmakers who have benefited in their own way should move to the metropolitan area rather than difficult districts and make sacrifices. But that sacrifice could turn challenges into hope."

After Ha's announcement to run in a difficult Seoul district, there seems to be an expectation within the party for a relay of senior lawmakers declaring their candidacies in challenging districts. Traditionally, there are voices calling for senior ruling party members to run in Seoul and the metropolitan area, where the ruling party is vulnerable, to help overcome the party's difficulties. The ruling party's heightened sense of crisis regarding the metropolitan area, triggered by the Gangseo District Office by-election defeat, has also influenced this.

Kim Tae-woo, the People Power Party candidate for Mayor of Gangseo District, is seen on the evening of the 11th visiting the election office in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, listening to a whisper from an election official. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

However, the question remains as to how effective senior lawmakers running in the metropolitan area will be. Kim Jae-seop, head of the People Power Party's Dobong-gap district committee, said on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' "What we need to carefully consider about senior lawmakers being drafted into the metropolitan area is whether the metropolitan residents actually want them," adding, "The metropolitan area is not a region where the arrival of Yeongnam lawmakers will necessarily be accepted, especially Seoul."

This means that drafting senior lawmakers does not necessarily translate into competitiveness in the metropolitan area. Kim said, "One-third of metropolitan residents probably don't know who they are, one-third are simply indifferent, and one-third likely do not like them," adding, "Therefore, it could be a much more difficult election to overcome, so the idea of drafting candidates to the metropolitan area should be carefully considered."

He emphasized that sending senior politicians to the metropolitan area requires prior preparation. Recently on YTN Radio, Kim Jae-won, a senior member of the People Power Party, said, "Simply telling senior lawmakers to go to difficult metropolitan districts and sending them there ultimately lowers the party's strength," and added, "The party needs to prepare more thoroughly and meticulously so that this can become a driving force and an opportunity to win the general election. If the idea of drafting senior lawmakers to the metropolitan area is used merely as a means to exclude them under the guise of running in difficult districts, it will not help the general election."

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