Pro-Myeong Proportional Candidates Claiming to Catch 'Bimyeong'... "Why Start a Family Feud?"

Proportional First-Term Lawmakers Declare Themselves Pro-Myeong, Launch Campaigns in Byeongmyeong Districts
Criticizing Incumbents and Running... "Are They Only Looking at Hardline Supporters?"
Im Hyeokbaek: "Will Respond Firmly to Personal Attacks"

In the Democratic Party of Korea, proportional representation lawmakers who claim to be pro-Lee Jae-myung faction are causing a 'family feud.' This is because they have consecutively declared their candidacy in constituencies held by anti-Lee Jae-myung faction incumbents. Within the party, criticism is emerging that they are focusing on provoking factional conflicts and confrontation. There are also concerns that this could negatively affect the party.

As of the 24th, out of 16 proportional representation lawmakers affiliated with the Democratic Party, 13 are expected to run in the 22nd general election. Lawmakers Kang Min-jung and Kim Hong-gul have declared they will not run, and it is known that Lawmaker Jeong Pil-mo has also decided not to run.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Among the 13 seeking re-election, six have declared their candidacy in constituencies held by Democratic Party lawmakers classified as 'anti-Lee Jae-myung faction' or 'pro-Moon Jae-in faction.' A representative figure is Lawmaker Yang Yi-won-young. She held a press conference at the National Assembly the day before and declared her candidacy in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, saying, "I hear ridicule here and there that I am a politician unworthy of the Democratic Party, who would not be out of place in the People Power Party." This was aimed at incumbent Lawmaker Yang Ki-dae, who is considered part of the anti-Lee Jae-myung faction. She also repeatedly emphasized that she is pro-Lee Jae-myung, saying, "I have shared political ups and downs with Representative Lee Jae-myung."

Lawmaker Lee Su-jin also announced on the 22nd that she would run in Seongnam Jungwon, Gyeonggi Province, the constituency of Lawmaker Yoon Young-chan, who remained in the party after being part of the reformist group 'Principles and Common Sense.' Lawmaker Yoon is classified as both anti-Lee Jae-myung and pro-Moon Jae-in faction. Initially, Lee declared candidacy in Seoul Seodaemun-gap, where Lawmaker Woo Sang-ho had declared he would not run, but changed her constituency after it was classified as a strategic nomination district. At her candidacy press conference, Lee criticized Yoon, saying, "I can no longer stand the situation where someone who has inflicted wounds of betrayal and division on the Democratic Party runs under the party's name."

The situation is similar for other proportional representation lawmakers. Lawmaker Kim Byung-joo challenged Gyeonggi Namyangju-eul, where Lawmaker Kim Han-jung of the 'Donggyo-dong faction' is seeking re-election; Lawmaker Kim Eui-gyeom ran in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, where Lawmaker Shin Young-dae is; Lawmaker Lee Dong-joo ran in Bupyeong, Incheon, where Lawmaker Hong Young-pyo is; and Lawmaker Heo Sook-jung ran in Seo-eul, Incheon, where Lawmaker Shin Dong-geun is. Rather than challenging other parties' constituencies, they are trying to take over seats held by their own party's lawmakers. These constituencies are generally regarded as well-established 'Democratic Party strongholds' rather than 'difficult districts,' so this is interpreted as a pro-Lee Jae-myung versus anti-Lee Jae-myung dynamic rather than mere competition.

Including constituencies of incumbents who left the Democratic Party, the number of 'anti-Lee Jae-myung hunts' rises to eight. Lawmaker Kim Kyung-man has registered as a preliminary candidate in Gwangju Seo-eul, where Yang Hyang-ja, head of Korea's Hope, is running; Lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi has registered in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, where Lee Won-wook, co-chairman of the Future United Alliance's founding committee, is running.

On the other hand, only two proportional representation lawmakers have challenged 'difficult districts' controlled by the ruling party. Lawmaker Kwon In-sook plans to run in Yongin-gap, Gyeonggi Province, which became vacant after former People Power Party Lawmaker Jeong Chan-min stepped down, and Lawmaker Choi Hye-young plans to run in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, where People Power Party Lawmaker Kim Hak-yong is.

Excessive 'Pro-Lee Jae-myung Marketing'... "It Won't Help the Party"

Yang Yi-won-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 23rd to announce her candidacy for Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. [Image source=Yang Yi-won-young's official website]

Within the party, dissatisfaction and concerns are mixed regarding the actions of these proportional representation lawmakers. Running for constituencies without justification and focusing only on the 'hardcore supporters' can be seen as conflict rather than competition.

A senior metropolitan area lawmaker said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "What good will it do the party if they cause a family feud relying only on 'Gaeddal' (a term for fervent pro-Lee Jae-myung supporters)?" He criticized, "It's a disregard for the unwritten rule that first-term proportional representatives challenge difficult districts." Another re-elected lawmaker pointed out, "The term 'assassin candidate' was originally used only to defeat candidates from opposing parties. Claiming to be an 'assassin' against one's own party's lawmakers is a serious problem."

In particular, Lawmaker Yang Yi-won-young drew criticism for holding a placard that read 'Member of the National Assembly for Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province' instead of the usual 'preliminary candidate' phrase at her candidacy announcement. Claiming to be pro-Lee Jae-myung, this could be interpreted as prematurely confident about receiving the party nomination. An party official said, "It was surprising to see the placard when she hasn't even received the nomination yet," adding, "If one wanted to make an issue of it, they could."

As conflicts intensified, Im Hyuk-baek, the head of the nomination management committee, issued a statement the previous afternoon, saying, "We are well aware that there are personal attacks and mutual slanders among some of our party's parliamentary candidates," and "We will take firm and strict measures regarding these issues." Although no candidates were specifically named, it is widely believed that this was aimed at Lawmakers Yang Yi-won-young and Lee Su-jin, who declared their candidacies while criticizing their own party incumbents.

Meanwhile, the survival rate of proportional representation lawmakers historically has not been high. Among 17 proportional representation lawmakers from the Democratic Party in the 20th National Assembly, only three (17.6%) were re-elected in the 21st general election: Song Ok-joo (Gyeonggi Hwaseong-gap), Lee Jae-jung (Gyeonggi Anyang Dongan-eul), and Jeong Chun-sook (Gyeonggi Yongin-byeong).

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