Gyeonggi governor also plans to challenge leading candidate Park


Former South Gyeongsang Governor Rep. Kim Tae-ho of the ruling Saenuri Party on Wednesday announced his bid for the December presidential election. Also on Wednesday, Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo decided to join the race despite his disagreement with the leadership over the party’s primary rules.

The right-wing party’s internal primary to select a presidential candidate will be a five-way race, also involving frontrunner Rep. Park Geun-hye, former Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo and former Presidential Chief-of-Staff Yim Tae-hee.

Rep. Kim made his announcement on Wednesday in central Seoul, at the memorial hall of Ahn Jung-geun, a national independence fighter during the Japanese colonial period.

“I shall break away from old politics and achieve a change of generations,” said 50-year-old Kim, who is the youngest among all the presidential contestants.

“Parties, conservative or liberal, have failed to understand the people’s pain and have only spoken for the vested rights of the privileged.”

The second-term lawmaker also assumed a critical attitude towards the party’s top-ranking hopeful Rep. Park, who is often blamed for a lack of communication.

“I will become a president who steps out of the secret room and openly shares thoughts with the people and communicates actively with opposition leaders,” he said.

Rep. Kim served as a two-term governor in South Gyeongsang Province and was also the youngest prime minister candidate in 2010, though he stepped down during the confirmation hearing process.

While this unfolded, Governor Kim Moon-soo also made his decision to join the race.

“Kim, after much consideration, has decided to make his official announcement on Thursday afternoon,” said Cha Myung-jin, former lawmaker and defacto-spokesperson for the governor on Wednesday.

Kim thus took a different path from that of the other two non-Park figures, Chung Mong-joon and Lee Jae-oh, who boycotted the race in protest of the leadership’s refusal to adopt a fully open primary.

“I could not ignore those who wish for the Saenuri Party’s victory and for the country’s development,” Kim was quoted as saying.

“I will participate (in the primary) with a burdened heart.”

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