As more and more Saenuri Party members leave the party ahead of candidate registrations for the April 13 parliamentary elections, the elections have changed into a battle of multiple candidates from the ruling party and multiple candidates from opposition parties.
In particular, as people mention the possibility of a solidarity among independent candidates from the ruling party in the Seoul metropolitan area, the general elections, which was expected to be one between a single ruling party candidate versus multiple opposition party candidates has suddenly changed.
In the Yeongnam region, a number of constituencies will witness a "neighborhood civil war" with ruling party candidates facing off former ruling party candidates, just as in the Honam region, where opposition party candidates are poised to face other opposition party candidates. The two-party system seems to have collapsed in the upcoming elections.
A battle between multiple ruling party candidates and multiple opposition candidates, which was hard to imagine just ten days ago, has become reality, triggered by the "massacre of non-Park members" at the hands of the Saenuri Party's nomination committee. Candidates who have failed to obtain an opportunity to compete for the candidacy refused to accept the results and decided to run as independent candidates after leaving the party. In particular, non-Park members including lawmakers close to Yoo Seong-min and pro-Lee members were excluded in the latest candidate nominations, and solidarity among these groups are expected.
In the Seoul metropolitan area, strong contenders such as former lawmaker Im Tae-hee (Bundang 2 District, Seongnam, Gyeonggi), former lawmaker Kang Seung-kyu (Mapo 1 District, Seoul) and Ahn Sang-soo (Jungdong, Ganghwa, and Ongjin, Incheon) are likely to create a "belt" calling for judgment on the “arrogant” ruling party. If lawmaker Lee Jae-oh (Eunpyeong 2 District, Seoul), the leader of the pro-Lee group who also failed to receive a nomination, joins this group, it will maximize the impact--going beyond holding the Saenuri Party candidates back and bringing an election victory within range. As ruling party votes are divided evenly, the chances of opposition candidates with relatively less competitiveness to win the election have also increased.
If the independent candidates close to Yoo Seong-min also form a solidarity following the movement in the Seoul metropolitan area, the damage can be greater. On March 23, lawmaker Cho Hae-jin (Miryang, Uiryeong, Haman, and Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province), who left the ruling party, said, "sS far, candidates with some interest are just exchanging opinions," on the independent solidarity and added, "Those that have been unfairly sacrificed in the latest nominations must come together." This day, Cho appeared on YTN radio and said, "We need to provide a clear vision to properly establish the wrongful nominations and party culture and retreating party democracy," stating the prerequisite for the solidarity. The grounds for their exclusion from the nominations may be different, but candidates are discussing the possibility of a single opposition candidate to fight lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun (South 2 District, Incheon), who announced his plan to run as an independent candidate. This means that in some constituencies, there may be a battle between multiple ruling party candidates against a single opposition party candidate.
In addition to lawmaker Yoo Seong-min (East 2 District, Daegu), who was at the center of the ruling party's division in the Yeongnam region, incumbent lawmakers Kwon Eun-hee (North 1 District) and Joo Ho-young (Suseong 2 District) in Daegu have refused to accept the nomination committee's decision and left the party. Kwon will compete against Jeong Tae-ok, former deputy mayor of Daegu and Joo will run against Lee In-sun, former deputy governor of North Gyeongsang Province. In Dalseong, President Park Geun-hye's constituency when she served as lawmaker, Park Kyung-ho, former gun chief executive left the party this day, thus a race of the two Kyung-ho’s will be inevitable as he runs against Choo Kyung-ho, former head of the Office of Government Policy Coordination, the only candidate nominated by the Saenuri Party.
In the Honam region, a battle between opposition parties has long been established with the founding of the People's Party. In Gwangju, eyes are on West 2 District, where Yang Hyang-ja (Minjoo Party of Korea), former director of Samsung Electronics will challenge Chun Jung-bae, co-leader of the People's Party, and Gwangsan 2 District, where a match between the former and incumbent lawmakers will occur as former lawmaker Lee Yong-sup from the Minjoo Party runs against lawmaker Kwon Eun-hee of the People's Party. In Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, the Minjoo Party's Roh Kwan-kyu, former mayor of Suncheon, and attorney Gu Hui-seung of the People's Party will try to stop Saenuri Party lawmaker Lee Jung-hyun from winning a third term.
In particular, as people mention the possibility of a solidarity among independent candidates from the ruling party in the Seoul metropolitan area, the general elections, which was expected to be one between a single ruling party candidate versus multiple opposition party candidates has suddenly changed.
In the Yeongnam region, a number of constituencies will witness a "neighborhood civil war" with ruling party candidates facing off former ruling party candidates, just as in the Honam region, where opposition party candidates are poised to face other opposition party candidates. The two-party system seems to have collapsed in the upcoming elections.
Party Members Supporting Yoon Sang-hyun Follow Yoon and Leave Party: On March 23, when lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun announced his departure from the Saenuri Party and his bid as an independent candidate in South 2 District, Incheon, Yoon's supporters inside the party held a press conference at Incheon City Hall and announced that they would also follow Yoon and leave the party. Yonhap News
A battle between multiple ruling party candidates and multiple opposition candidates, which was hard to imagine just ten days ago, has become reality, triggered by the "massacre of non-Park members" at the hands of the Saenuri Party's nomination committee. Candidates who have failed to obtain an opportunity to compete for the candidacy refused to accept the results and decided to run as independent candidates after leaving the party. In particular, non-Park members including lawmakers close to Yoo Seong-min and pro-Lee members were excluded in the latest candidate nominations, and solidarity among these groups are expected.
In the Seoul metropolitan area, strong contenders such as former lawmaker Im Tae-hee (Bundang 2 District, Seongnam, Gyeonggi), former lawmaker Kang Seung-kyu (Mapo 1 District, Seoul) and Ahn Sang-soo (Jungdong, Ganghwa, and Ongjin, Incheon) are likely to create a "belt" calling for judgment on the “arrogant” ruling party. If lawmaker Lee Jae-oh (Eunpyeong 2 District, Seoul), the leader of the pro-Lee group who also failed to receive a nomination, joins this group, it will maximize the impact--going beyond holding the Saenuri Party candidates back and bringing an election victory within range. As ruling party votes are divided evenly, the chances of opposition candidates with relatively less competitiveness to win the election have also increased.
If the independent candidates close to Yoo Seong-min also form a solidarity following the movement in the Seoul metropolitan area, the damage can be greater. On March 23, lawmaker Cho Hae-jin (Miryang, Uiryeong, Haman, and Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province), who left the ruling party, said, "sS far, candidates with some interest are just exchanging opinions," on the independent solidarity and added, "Those that have been unfairly sacrificed in the latest nominations must come together." This day, Cho appeared on YTN radio and said, "We need to provide a clear vision to properly establish the wrongful nominations and party culture and retreating party democracy," stating the prerequisite for the solidarity. The grounds for their exclusion from the nominations may be different, but candidates are discussing the possibility of a single opposition candidate to fight lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun (South 2 District, Incheon), who announced his plan to run as an independent candidate. This means that in some constituencies, there may be a battle between multiple ruling party candidates against a single opposition party candidate.
In addition to lawmaker Yoo Seong-min (East 2 District, Daegu), who was at the center of the ruling party's division in the Yeongnam region, incumbent lawmakers Kwon Eun-hee (North 1 District) and Joo Ho-young (Suseong 2 District) in Daegu have refused to accept the nomination committee's decision and left the party. Kwon will compete against Jeong Tae-ok, former deputy mayor of Daegu and Joo will run against Lee In-sun, former deputy governor of North Gyeongsang Province. In Dalseong, President Park Geun-hye's constituency when she served as lawmaker, Park Kyung-ho, former gun chief executive left the party this day, thus a race of the two Kyung-ho’s will be inevitable as he runs against Choo Kyung-ho, former head of the Office of Government Policy Coordination, the only candidate nominated by the Saenuri Party.
In the Honam region, a battle between opposition parties has long been established with the founding of the People's Party. In Gwangju, eyes are on West 2 District, where Yang Hyang-ja (Minjoo Party of Korea), former director of Samsung Electronics will challenge Chun Jung-bae, co-leader of the People's Party, and Gwangsan 2 District, where a match between the former and incumbent lawmakers will occur as former lawmaker Lee Yong-sup from the Minjoo Party runs against lawmaker Kwon Eun-hee of the People's Party. In Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, the Minjoo Party's Roh Kwan-kyu, former mayor of Suncheon, and attorney Gu Hui-seung of the People's Party will try to stop Saenuri Party lawmaker Lee Jung-hyun from winning a third term.
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