Democratic Party's floor leader election campaign begins

With bribery scandals at the 2021 Party Convention causing mounting concern, Korea's main opposition Democratic Party's floor leader election campaign began Tuesday as the candidates started applying for registration. The incoming floor leader of the party will have to address the huge bribery scandals involving some 10 incumbent lawmakers of its own ahead of the national general election scheduled in 2024. The floor leader will be elected on April 28.

Three major candidates include Park Gwang-on, Lee Won-wook, and Hong Ik-pyo, along with Kim Doo-gwan, a re-elected lawmaker who just completed his candidate registration.

The candidates demonstrated mixed responses on how to deal with the bribery scandals that can affect the upcoming general election. Rep. Park, who is supported both by pro-Lee Nak-yon members and Democracy 4.0, the party's internal research group, said it would be important to cooperate with the leadership that came up with a series of measures so that the issue can be resolved smoothly. On the other hand, Candidate Hong stressed that the former party leader Song Young-gil is the key to resolving all the problems and that he should come back immediately to explain in detail and take responsibility if needed.

Candidate Lee Won-wook, known to be critical of the current party leader Lee Jae-myung, demanded an internal investigation into the scandals. Lee said that the prosecutors' office could drag the investigation until the general election next year for political reasons and that thorough internal investigation and explanation, to the extent of launching a new party if necessary, would be essential to regain public trust.


Hoon-Sang Park tigermask@donga.com