The race within the ruling Saenuri Party to challenge incumbent Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is heating up months ahead of next year’s election.

Winning the Seoul mayoral election ― often called a “miniature presidential race” ― is considered the most crucial task in the local elections in June, when new mayors, governors, educational superintendents, and local council members across the country will be picked simultaneously.

“As Seoul is the capital and less swayed by regionalism, the outcome of the Seoul mayoral election is considered a key tool to gauge the public sentiment,” Yoon Hee-woong, a senior researcher at the Korea Society Opinion Institute, told The Korea Herald.

“With there being the precedent of former President Lee Myung-bak reaching the presidency after serving as Seoul mayor, for the candidates, winning the office is considered a shortcut to elevating oneself as a potential presidential candidate,” Yoon added.

The incumbent Park, a lawyer-turned-politician, enjoys considerable popularity for his progressive policies and unconventional leadership, along with his lingering ties to independent Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, making them a potential third political force despite his current allegiance to the Democratic Party.

Although Park denied any possibility of joining Ahn’s newly launching party anytime soon, political observers point to their undeniable fraternity since the mayoral race in 2011 when Ahn agreed to support Park as a candidate.

The Saenuri Party, which has enjoyed consistent victories in by-elections this year riding on the popularity of President Park Geun-hye, is now reportedly considering eight to nine different candidates to challenge the highly contested position.

Earlier this week, Saenuri Supreme Council member Lee Hye-hoon became the first to officially express the intention to run.

Lee, a former lawmaker and one of the key aides to President Park, said she was “positively considering” running during a radio interview. In a direct challenge to her potential future rival, Lee recently voiced the need to reconsider the 123-story building being built in Jamsil, Seoul, after last week’s helicopter collision into a high-rise apartment, adding that it was up to Park to make a decision for the sake of the city’s safety.

Also seen as a strong contender is seven-term lawmaker Rep. Chung Mong-joon, who has the greatest seniority in the National Assembly. The party has cited a recent survey that indicated Chung would defeat Park Won-soon in the event of a voter turnout of less than 56 percent.

“We would like to first say that it is a fiction to say that the Saenuri Party is headed for a defeat or a difficult (mayoral race),” said Saenury secretary general Rep. Hong Moon-jong.

Kim Hwang-sik, former prime minister during the Lee Myung-bak administration, is also being discussed. Having set the record of being the longest-serving prime minister in Korea’s modern history, Kim was well-praised by both main political parties for his administrative acumen.

Other potential candidates include former lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Won Hee-ryong. Gender Equality Minister Cho Yoon-sun is also considered one of the potential contenders after having served as President Park’s spokeswoman throughout the election last year.

Despite their denials of any intention to run, former chief justice and head of the Saenuri Party’s political reform committee during the presidential race Ahn Dae-hee, along with former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, also have been constantly touted as strong candidates.

As the race starts to heat up, the Saenuri Party is seen moving to up the pressure on Park Won-soon.

During Tuesday’s government interpellation session, Saenuri Party Rep. Kim Sung-tae took aim at Park, prompting an angry rebuke from the DP. Kim criticized Park for allegedly favoring certain landowners in a land development project, claiming he had acted out of political greed.

The DP immediately rejected the claim in a statement, saying, “Although we understand the Saenuri Party must be feeling agitated by seeing that no candidate would suffice in winning against Park, (condemning Park during the interpellation) is embarrassingly out of the blue.”

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