Stepping beyond factional barriers and political differences, bigwigs on all fronts gathered for the sole purpose of making Park Geun-hye the next president.

Top on the roster of conservative politicians are former floor leader Kim Moo-sung and ex-party chairman Lee Hoi-chang, both of whom were deeply at odds with her in the past.

Reform-minded experts like economist-turned-politician Kim Chong-in and former judge Ahn Dae-hee joined the campaign to pull Park’s policies toward to the center.

Major players in the opposition bloc such as Hahn Hwa-kap, Han Gwang-ok and Kim Kyung-jae also got on the Park bandwagon, much to the dismay of the Democratic United Party.

Spicing up her campaign were such eye-catching members as Kim Sung-joo, the chairwoman and CEO of Sungjoo Group and MCM Holdings AG.

There were also the behind-the-scenes players like Ahn Chong-bum and Kim Gwang-doo, who continued their role as Park’s trusted thinkers.

Among the firsts to join Park’s cadre was Kim Chong-in, who headed the Committee to Pursue People’s Happiness. Kim was also alongside Park in her emergency committee operated for the April general elections.

Kim is renowned for having contributed to adding the phrase “economic democratization” to the Constitution in 1987. Driven by his liberal nature, Kim often butted heads openly with conventional party members, namely Lee Hahn-koo, the pro-business floor leader of the ruling party. His open dissatisfaction to the watered-down version of Park’s final economic democratization policies also exposed trouble within the campaign.

Ahn Dae-hee, meanwhile, led Park’s political reform measures without major glitches, preparing a set of eyebrow-raising (for the conservative party) policies and making bold gestures such as proposing a get-together among the presidential candidates to pass related bills as soon as possible. His move effectively upheld Park’s campaign for reform while her opponents were mired in a single candidacy negotiation.

As Park suffered from repeated blows by increasing factional discord, Kim Moo-sung, her former right-hand man, came to the rescue, chanting “grand union of the conservatives” and heading the General Election Measures Headquarters.

He is said to have played a major role in bringing in such conservative heavyweights as former President Kim Young-sam, former presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang and Rhee In-je, who has a record of partisan migration.

Kim Moo-sung is also said to have been behind the participation of Kim Kyung-je, once a key aide to former President Kim Dae-jung. Kim joining Park’s campaign dealt a serious blow to the DUP, and gradually transformed the presidential race from democracy versus anti-democracy to conservative versus progressive.

Joining Kim Kyung-jae were former Democratic Party leaders Han Gwang-ok and Hahn Hwa-kap, both core representatives of the Jeolla provinces, consequently adding weight to Park’s platform of unity.

Closer to Park’s side were the four aides of 15 years, Lee Choon-sang (public relations), Lee Jae-man (policy), Jeong Ho-seong (political affairs and messages) and Ahn Bong-geun (schedule). The deaths of Lee Choon-sang and PR official Kim Woo-dong in a car crash on Dec. 2 threw Park and the entire campaign team into deep sorrow.

Her key policy draftsmen on foreign affairs and security come from the previous Roh Moo-hyun government, including Yun Byung-se, former senior presidential secretary for security policy and Kim Jang-soo, former defense minister.

Also among the key members are Kwon Young-se who took care of the general strategy, Lee Hag-jae, who was in charge of Park’s schedule in replacement of her former aide Choi Kyung-hwan, and Lee Jung-hyun, whose enthusiastic demeanor helped Park communicate with the media, albeit with a few controversies.

As for her team of special advisers, Nam Jae-joon has led on defense and security; Kim Young-mok on unification and foreign affairs; Choi Soon-hong on science and technology; Park Seon-young on North Korea; Min Hyun-joo on women’s policies; Kim Kyu-hwan on job creation; Jang Heung-soon on venture businesses; and Choi Oe-Chool on planning.

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