The Democratic Party of Korea, South Korea’s largest political party currently enjoying the highest approval ratings, kicked off its presidential primary on Tuesday, with one of its strongest contenders registering his candidacy.
Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung, the second most favored liberal presidential candidate according to polls, registered his preliminary candidacy for the liberal party’s presidential nomination, becoming the second to do so.
“This year’s presidential election shall not be about individual candidates but about a comprehensive restructuring of society and politics to be spearheaded by the liberal force,” Lee said in a statement.
Lee, a self-made firebrand politician with a sharp tongue and progressive vision, saw his popularity grow remarkably late last year, amid the political maelstrom churned up by President Park Geun-hye’s scandal and ensuing impeachment.
Already in the race is Goyang Mayor Choi Sung. At least three more are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks.
Leading the pack is the party’s former leader Moon Jae-in who is continuously topping weekly polls of presidential hopefuls across the aisle.
In last week’s Realmeter poll, Moon posted at 32.8 percent, followed by Ban Ki-moon, the former UN Secretary-General with a conservative hue who is currently without a party affiliation, at 15.4 percent. Mayor Lee is third at 9.5 percent while South Chungcheong Gov. Ahn Hee-jung holds 6.4 percent.
Moon has not yet officially announced his run in the presidency, but has continued to follow a haptic schedule of what appears to be a pre-election campaign, visiting former presidents including the liberal iconic late Roh Moo-hyun, and releasing a book on him and his election pledges.
Meeting reporters on Tuesday, he emphasized his stable lead not just in the liberal camp but across the political spectrum, saying he is the liberals’ best shot at the presidential victory.
The former chief of staff to the late liberal President Roh is expected to launch a campaign team by mid-February and officially announce his run around the end of February to early March.
With Moon standing firm as a prominent contender in the party, the runner-ups, Seongnam Mayor Lee and South Chungcheong Gov. Ahn are expected to vie in the party’s runoff voting.
Outside the Democratic Party, presidential hopefuls from the People’s Party and Bareun Party and independents are trying to form coalitions to counter the frontrunner Moon.
Association between the former head of the liberal People’s Party, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, former Democratic Party chair Sohn Hak-kyu and former Prime Minister Chung Woon-chan had been visualized after they held private meetings before last week’s Lunar New Year holidays.
Conservative factions are hinting at establishing a third political force against the leading Democratic Party as well.
Former UN chief Ban met with Rep. Kim Moo-sung of Bareun Party on Sunday and Tuesday, seeking a possible unity.
Rep. Yoo Seung-min of conservative Bareun Party called for the right-leaning lawmakers to agree on a single candidate on Monday.
“For conservative parties to win against the liberal Moon, pushing for a single conservative candidate can be a way,” he said in a press conference.
This year’s presidential election is expected to take place earlier than the scheduled December as President Park’s impeachment motion is currently being reviewed by the Constitutional Court. Park was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec. 9 over suspicions that she had allowed her confidante Choi Soon-sil to meddle in state affairs and colluded with Choi to extort funds from conglomerates.
If the court rules to remove Park from office, the nation has to elect a new leader in 60 days.
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