Eliminated candidates stage protest, calling for primaries


With fewer than 40 days until the elections for the 19th Assembly, conflicts are deepening within the main opposition Democratic United Party over its candidate selection, especially in strategic areas.

Former Democratic Party members claimed that they were deliberately eliminated from the nomination while others protested that the party gave too many candidate posts to former judges and prosecutors.

“The party is expected to unveil another dozen constituencies tomorrow as strategic areas where it will select single candidates without nomination contests,” the party’s spokesperson Shin Kyoung-min told reporters Sunday.

“Most of the nominations are to be wrapped up within the week.”

The list of the strategic areas to be announced will include Sejong City in the southeastern region, and some districts in Seoul, he said.

The left-wing party recently announced its strategic nominations in highly competitive areas, including the nomination of In Jae-geun, widow of late party adviser Kim Geun-tae.

It has also recruited several former judges and prosecutors in relation to its earlier pledge to reform the judicial and prosecutorial circles.

The party’s actions, however, also triggered violent backlash from within the party as a number of incumbent party members, especially former DP powers, were reportedly disqualified from nomination.

A group of members who were eliminated from nomination staged a protest Sunday in front of the party headquarters building, accusing the party leadership of unfair nominations and demanding that the nomination screening committee be abolished. They also called for primaries.

Some members even hinted at their intention to break away from the party and take part in the April elections as independent runners.

“I have been told that Rep. Chung Dong-young will be sent to the Gangnam-B constituency and thus asked to move to another constituency in Seoul,” said Rep. Jeon Hyun-heui, who also applied for candidacy in the area.

“I, however, do not wish to become a badge hunter, in mere pursuit of a parliamentary seat and shall make a significant decision after talking to the party leadership tonight.”

Supreme Council member and Federation of Korean Trade Unions President Lee Yong-deuk, too, pressed the party to make more room for labor activists in the DUP nominations. The labor group has endorsed the party.

The ruling Saenuri Party is also experiencing some turbulence over nominations, especially in the southern city of Busan.

The second-largest city in the nation has risen as one of the key battlegrounds in the upcoming April race as the liberal camp has recently earned strong support in polls for the area which has long been a conservative stronghold.

The party, therefore, is highly likely to nominate former education vice minister Seol Dong-keun for the disputed Sasang constituency, to compete against Moon Jae-in, DUP supreme councilor and Roh Moo-hyun Foundation chairman.

The minority Progressive Unified Party is reported to have considered but decided against Seo Gi-ho, a former judge who recently left the bench amid controversy following his critical remarks of President Lee Myung-bak.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)