The Democratic Party adds 12 single-candidate nominations including Jeong Jin-seok, Hong Cheol-ho, and Shin Beom-cheol... Senior members and Yongsan-origin candidates face primaries (Comprehensive)

6 Cases in Gyeonggi, 4 in Chungnam, 1 in Chungbuk, 1 in Jeonnam
Chungnam Hongseong and Yesan Emerge as Key Battlegrounds

The People Power Party announced the candidates for uncontested nominations in the Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Jeonnam regions. Senior lawmakers and those from Yongsan are expected to face intense intra-party primaries. Constituencies that engaged in disputes over the 'presidential watch' during the nomination process are also anticipated to experience friction during the party primaries.

People Power Party's Jeong Young-hwan, Chair of the Nomination Management Committee, is announcing the results of the 8th meeting on the morning of the 16th at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the 16th, the People Power Party’s Nomination Management Committee announced 12 uncontested candidates from the Gyeonggi, Jeonnam, Chungbuk, and Chungnam regions. In Gyeonggi, six candidates received uncontested nominations: Jeong Pil-jae (Siheung Gap), Go Seok (Yongin Byeong), Kang Cheol-ho (Yongin Jeong), Song Seok-jun (Icheon), Kim Hak-yong (Anseong), and Hong Cheol-ho (Gimpo Eul). In Chungnam, four candidates were uncontested: Shin Beom-cheol (Cheonan Gap), Jeong Jin-seok (Gongju, Buyeo, Cheongyang), Seong Il-jong (Seosan, Taean), and Jeong Yong-seon (Dangjin). In Chungbuk and Jeonnam, Kim Jin-mo (Cheongju Seowon) and Park Jeong-sook (Yeosu-si Gap) were uncontested candidates, respectively.

The number of uncontested candidates has decreased by more than half compared to the announcement on the 14th and 15th. The People Power Party designated 25 uncontested candidates from Seoul, Honam, and Jeju regions, and another 25 from Gyeonggi, Incheon, and Jeonbuk regions. Jeong Young-hwan, chairman of the People Power Party’s Nomination Management Committee, stated, "There are still some constituencies in Honam that have not been finalized, so we have not announced them yet."

Most senior and Yongsan-origin candidates who applied for nominations will face primaries. These include six-term former lawmaker Lee In-je (Nonsan, Gyeryong, Geumsan), five-term National Assembly Vice Speaker Jeong Woo-taek (Cheongju Sangdang), four-term lawmakers Lee Jong-bae (Cheongju), Hong Moon-pyo (Hongseong, Yesan), and Lee Myeong-su (Asan Gap), as well as three-term lawmaker Park Deok-heum (Boeun, Okcheon, Yeongdong, Goesan). Jang Dong-hyeok, the party’s secretary-general (Chungnam Boryeong, Seocheon), was also excluded from the uncontested candidate list. Former Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeong Hwang-geun (Cheonan), former Presidential Office civil society secretary Kang Seung-gyu (Hongseong, Yesan), and former administrative officers Lee Dong-seok (Chungju) and Choi Ji-woo (Jecheon, Danyang) will also compete in primaries. Lee Yong (Hanam) and Lee Tae-gyu (Yeoju, Yangpyeong), classified as close aides to President Yoon Seok-yeol, also failed to secure uncontested nominations.

The Chungnam Hongseong-Yesan area has been identified as a major battleground for primaries. Since last month, lawmaker Hong has accused former secretary Kang, who applied for nomination in the constituency, of distributing 'presidential watches' in the area, sparking a dispute. The day before, after completing the nomination interview, lawmaker Hong said, "I asked the interviewers if they really gave 10,000 watches as souvenirs, questioning whether they gave one to every single person." In contrast, former secretary Kang rebutted, saying, "Lawmaker Hong mentioned the watches, but the Civil Society Secretary’s Office is a channel for communication with citizens. The presidential watches were prepared for visits to the Presidential Office or meetings. It is normal work of the Civil Society Secretary’s Office."

Cheonan Gap, regarded as the 'political number one district' in Chungnam, is likely to see a rematch between Moon Jin-seok of the Democratic Party and former Deputy Minister of National Defense Shin Beom-cheol. In the 21st general election, Moon won against former Deputy Minister Shin by a margin of 1,328 votes. Subsequently, former Deputy Minister Shin served as the first Deputy Minister of National Defense under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration. Last month, Moon held a constituency report meeting in Cheonan, effectively declaring his candidacy by stating, "I will pursue politics of hope for the citizens."

Meanwhile, Jang Dong-hyeok, secretary-general of the People Power Party, firmly stated that it is impossible to have a nomination process that satisfies everyone amid some noise. Former party committee chairman Yoon Hyeong-seon of Gyeyang Eul announced the day before that he would file an objection in response to the uncontested nomination of former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong in Gyeyang Eul. Secretary-General Jang said, "Candidates not included in the uncontested nominations will naturally have complaints, but our goal is to persuade the public with our decisions. While there may be some internal noise, how the public evaluates us is more important."

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