Why Did Park Min-sik, Who Was Running for Bundang-eul, Switch to Running for Yeongdeungpo-eul?

'Minister and Chief of Staff Yang Ji's Candidacy' Seems to Acknowledge Criticism
"Party Requested Candidacy in Difficult District... Devotion Through Action"

Former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-sik announced his intention to run in the Seoul Yeongdeungpo-eul district in next year's general election. Previously, Park had expressed consideration of running in Seongnam Bundang-eul, but it is reported that the party requested him to run in a challenging district. Yeongdeungpo-eul is classified as a conservative party's difficult district.

On the 27th, in an interview with SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' Park said, "It is true that I received multiple requests from the party to run in a difficult district about three to four weeks ago," adding, "Because we are facing many difficulties, there was a request that ministers and senior officials should step forward." He continued, "I decided with a desperate heart to participate, not just with words about dedication and sacrifice, but to take action."

Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-sik is wiping away tears at the farewell ceremony held at the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong City on the morning of the 26th. Photo by Yonhap News

Regarding the mention of Yeongdeungpo-eul as his running district, Park confirmed, "It is true that the party made such a request." When asked if the request was to go to Yeongdeungpo-eul and face off against incumbent Kim Min-seok of the Democratic Party of Korea, he replied, "That is not entirely untrue."

Initially, Park was considering running in Seongnam Bundang-eul. Until early this month, he emphasized in media interviews that he had lived in Bundang for over 20 years and expressed his intention to run there. However, criticism arose within the ruling party that ministers and presidential office officials were only seeking safe districts. Bundang-eul is classified as a conservative stronghold, and it is also a district where former presidential office spokesperson Kim Eun-hye and Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee Young were rumored to run. In response to this criticism, Park is understood to have given up running in Bundang-eul and shifted to running in a difficult district.

There is also an assessment that this aligns with People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon's declaration not to run in the general election and his inaugural emphasis on "eliminating the 586 activist faction." Currently, Yeongdeungpo-eul is the district of Kim Min-seok of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is classified as a former activist. By running in Yeongdeungpo-eul and facing Kim, Park is seen as aiming to highlight the "judgment of the activist faction" narrative.

Meanwhile, at his inauguration ceremony the day before, Chairman Han said, "We must eliminate the privileged activist politics that have used the party as a host for decades, with the 386 generation becoming 486, 586, and 686, presenting receipts and continuing to dominate and lecture the people for generations."

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