Democrats Show Signs of 'Water Change Nomination'... Reform or Weeding Out

Announcement of Review for 24 Electoral Districts... 7 Incumbents Nominated Without Competition
Speculation on 'Misconduct Cutoff' Discussions Including Lee Jae-myung, Noh Woong-rae
Weeding Out for Pro-Lee Faction... Cutoff Notification as a Variable

Tensions over 'purging' are rising as the Democratic Party of Korea's nomination blueprint takes shape. The reformist will revealed by leader Lee Jae-myung bypasses the pro-Lee faction, sparking backlash as an 'intentional weeding out.' The cutoff list, expected to be notified as early as this weekend, is anticipated to be the biggest variable.

On the morning of the 15th, the Democratic Party's Nomination Management Committee announced the results of the third screening for 24 electoral districts at the National Assembly. There are 10 districts with uncontested nominations and 14 districts with primaries. Among incumbents, Floor Leader Hong Ik-pyo (Seoul Seocho-eul), Supreme Council Member Ko Min-jung (Seoul Gwangjin-eul), 'pro-Lee' Kim Doo-kwan (Gyeongnam Yangsan-eul), and Song Ki-heon (Gangwon Wonju-eul), who is classified as non-Lee faction but served as floor deputy leader under the 'Lee Jae-myung regime,' were among seven incumbents who received uncontested nominations.

Looking at the screening results that day, in the Yeongnam region, classified as a 'hostile territory,' the trend is to push candidates who have managed the districts as uncontested nominees. Conversely, in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gwangju, where the Democratic Party is strong, primaries were generally decided. In Gyeonggi Gimpo-gap, incumbent Kim Ju-young and Song Ji-won, vice chair of the Gyeonggi Provincial Party Youth Committee, will compete in a primary. Song, a former aide to 'pro-Lee core' Jeong Cheong-rae, senior supreme council member, has Jeong as his sponsor. In Gwangju Gwangsan-eul, pro-Lee incumbent Min Hyung-bae and former Blue House senior administrator Jeong Jae-hyeok face off.

Unlike the People Power Party, which announced uncontested nomination districts first, the Democratic Party is focusing on announcing 'less sensitive' primary districts. A committee official explained, "The principle is to announce uncontested nominations starting with non-incumbents first and delay announcements regarding incumbents." The apparent rationale is to provide non-incumbents with sufficient time for election campaigning.

The committee has postponed the notification of the bottom 20% of incumbents subject to evaluation, effectively a 'cutoff notification,' expected to be announced right after the Lunar New Year holiday, until as early as this weekend. This appears to be an effort to moderate the pace to reduce conflicts arising from exclusion from nominations.

Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung is checking the time at a small business policy meeting held at the Small Business Federation in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 14th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, as leader Lee Jae-myung takes the lead in the nomination process, discord is growing. It is reported that Lee and the leadership held a closed-door meeting at the National Assembly Members' Office Building the previous night to discuss cutoff of incumbents with 'misconduct.' Observers speculate that lawmakers such as No Woong-rae, indicted on bribery charges; Ki Dong-min, on trial for Lime bribery allegations; and proportional representative Lee Soo-jin were mentioned.

Chief Secretary Kim Byung-gi, speaking to reporters immediately after the committee's announcement, drew a line when asked if cutoff of incumbents with misconduct allegations was discussed, saying, "It has not been discussed yet." When asked about the late-night closed meeting, he said, "There seems to be some misunderstanding," and avoided answering by stating, "I did not attend, so I will not respond."

Leader Lee has already directly recommended that three-term lawmaker In Jae-geun and former lawmakers Moon Hak-jin and Lee Jong-gul not run. Especially in the early morning when this information became known, he declared his commitment to 'purging' on Facebook, saying, "New wine in new wineskins, we must move toward the future." At the supreme council meeting the previous day, he repeatedly emphasized, "New branches must yield to other new branches, and the water of the Yangtze River pushes the front waves forward by the back waves."

Among those mentioned as targets for reform, the pro-Lee faction is virtually absent. This is the background for concerns that Lee's traffic control could trigger a chain departure of non-Lee faction members. If many pro-Moon or non-Lee faction members pressured to step down are included in the cutoff list, variables such as party withdrawal are expected. Notably, 'five-term' lawmaker Seol Hoon, from the Donggyodong faction and classified as non-Lee, is expected to join the Reform New Party.

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