Advisory groups, campaign teams shape up for Park GH, Moon JI


Leading presidential hopefuls and the brains are quickening preparations to jump into the race for the Dec. 19 presidential election.

Unfazed by daily attacks from the main opposition Democratic United Party, the ruling Saenuri Party’s frontrunner Park Geun-hye has so far been laying low. But her think tanks and support groups have long been preparing for the launch of her presidential campaign, forecast to begin around June.

A group of former journalists opened an office in Yeouido on Wednesday to advise the former chairwoman on media and communication strategies, Dong-a Ilbo reported.

The group was said to be made up of former journalists and media specialists who helped Park in her failed 2007 presidential nomination campaign.

Moon Jae-in of the DUP also indicated an imminent jump into the presidential race upon the launch of “Damjaengi Forum” chaired by former Korean Red Cross president Han Wan-sang. The forum, comprised of several key progressive figures, is anticipated to act as one of the support bases for the former presidential chief-of-staff.

Moon is currently awaiting the election of the next DUP chairperson. Contrary to earlier forecasts, Moon’s purported partner Lee Hae-chan is lagging behind dark horse Kim Han-gil in the party’s primaries leading up to the June 9 final vote.

About 50 figures from all walks of life joined the forum supportive of Moon including Reps. Lee Hack-young and Do Jong-hwan, along with novelist Gong Ji-young, Kyongbuk National University professor Lee Jeong-wook and former National Intelligence Service chief Kim Man-bok.

While sources from Moon’s office said the forum was separate from any presidential camp, it was widely perceived as one of the key political support groups for the presidential hopeful.

The race is likely to pick up momentum should Park declare her candidacy in June.

The Saenuri Party is set to launch a committee to manage the presidential primaries in the near future, which will signal the beginning of in-party registration for candidates.

News reports said Park’s campaign camp will be minimized to fewer than 20 people, exclusive of incumbent lawmakers.

Park is currently in the lead against her internal and external rivals with greater than 40 percent support in opinion polls conducted by various research agencies.

Park’s firm foothold was confirmed with the election of two pro-Park members to leadership roles in May, including Lee Hahn-koo as the floor leader and Hwang Woo-yea as chairman.

Park’s main rival and runner-up in polls, Ahn Cheol-soo, dean of the Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology at Seoul National University, raised speculations by making a rare public appearance at Pusan National University on Wednesday night.

While he did not directly address his presidential ambitions, Ahn commented on several sensitive issues such as the controversy over some minority party members accused of being pro-North Korea.

“I believe it is appropriate for a party or a politician involved in state management to clearly state one’s position on this matter,” Ahn said in his speech before thousands of students. It was his first public appearance since he appointed his public relations team headed by former presidential press secretary Yoo Min-young.

Ahn also said that he could not agree to applying different standards in terms of human rights and peace to North Korea.

With regard to his anticipated political debut, Ahn said, “I am in the course of questioning myself about whether I can make sure I won’t breach social expectations for me if I get involved in politics.”

Meanwhile, South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Doo-kwan, another potential presidential hopeful from the opposition, is expected to officially throw his hat into the ring at a book publication event scheduled for June 12.

Five years ago, for the 17th presidential election, presidential hopefuls announced their bids mostly in June, including Park of the then-Grand National Party.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)