4 Hopefuls Face Off in GNP Leader Race

Grand National Party (GNP) Assemblyman Lee Jae-oh officially announced his candidacy for floor leader in the party elections to be held on January 12. The present candidates are Kim Moo-seong, Ahn Taek-soo, and Lee Jae-oh.

Assemblyman Lee, had first intended to run for Seoul mayor, but his fellow members of the National Development Strategy Group, which is an organization within the GNP, recommended that he run for GNP floor leader instead.

Kim has been serving as the Secretary General while Park Geun-hye has been the GNP chairwoman, so Kim is considered “Pro-Park.” However, Lee has served as the head of the Undertaking Committee of Seoul after the after the 2002 mayoral elections, therefore known to be close to current Seoul mayor Lee Myung-bak.

Some call the face-off within the GNP a proxy fight between Chairwoman Park and Mayor Lee, the two potential presidential candidates for the GNP. Lee, possibly sensing the implications, said during his press conference, “I will help Chairwoman Park build a strong party. I will give Park the right to appoint the head of the policy committee.”

Kim stated, “I told Chairwoman Park not to care about the elections. I will campaign on my own.”

Ahn, who claims to be neutral, has run in the floor party elections five times, but has failed every time. “The floor leader should be one who is reasonable, flexible, passionate, and honest.”

Goh Heung-gil, a second-term lawmaker, plans to announce his candidacy in the floor leader elections on January 9. He said, “If this becomes a proxy fight for Chairwoman Park and Mayor Lee, it may negatively affect the party. The floor leader should be someone who can prepare strategies in an objective manner.”

Meanwhile, with Assemblyman Lee entering the floor leader elections, the candidates in the Seoul mayoral elections are down to Maeng Hyeong-gyu, Hong Jun-pyo, Park Jin, and Park Gye-dong.

It will be interesting to see whether Hong Jun-pyo and Park Gye-dong, fellow members of the National Development Strategy Group with Lee, will decide to unite in the mayoral elections.

Yong-Gwan Jung yongari@donga.com