The Democratic Party of Korea's by-election for supreme council members is showing signs of turning into a "Myeong-Cheong (pro-Lee Jae-myung and pro-Jung Chung-rae) proxy war." With three supreme council members resigning to run in the local elections in June next year, the by-election, likely to be held in mid-Jan., is rapidly emerging as a stage for a factional "power realignment."
The Democratic Party recently began preparing for the by-election for supreme council members. On the 4th, it convened the party affairs committee and approved the formation of the by-election management committee. This is a follow-up procedure after three supreme council members, Chun Hyun-hee, Han Jun-ho, and Kim Byung-joo, resigned to run in the local elections. Considering the 30 days needed for the candidate notice, the by-election is scheduled for mid-Jan. next year.
The ruling camp is watching the by-election results closely. Depending on how the supreme council is reshuffled, the leadership lineup could change. Among the seven existing supreme council members, lawmakers Chun Hyun-hee and Kim Byung-joo are seen as favorable to Chair Jung Chung-rae. Including Seo Sam-seok and Park Gee-won, who are supreme council members appointed by the party leader, the "pro-Cheong" camp had maintained a majority. Even last month, when Chair Jung pushed to amend the party constitution and rules to adopt a "one person, one vote" system, only about three lawmakers—Han Jun-ho, Hwang Myung-seon, and Lee Un-ju—voiced concern; the others did not oppose it.
However, with the "one person, one vote" system voted down at the central committee on the 5th, Chair Jung's leadership has taken a hit. If figures at odds with Jung join the leadership, the "Jung Chung-rae system" could become even more unstable.
The leadership lineup of the ruling party is drawing attention because it could influence the next party leader election. While Jung is expected to seek another term, the pro-Myeong camp is said to be preparing for Prime Minister Kim Min-seok to run for party leader. In the upcoming party leader race between Jung Chung-rae and Kim Min-seok, the composition of the party leadership could have a significant impact.
Behind-the-scenes competition has begun. The first person to firm up an intention to run is Yu Dong-cheol, head of the Busan Suyeong district committee. After being "cut off" in the Busan city party chair primary in Oct., Yu publicly pushed back against Chair Jung, saying the party "flatly violated the promise of a 100% open primary with no cutoffs." He also serves as co-executive chair of the Democratic Innovation Council, the largest pro-Myeong organization.
In a call, he said, "We need to prevent any discord between the party and government, and under the one person, one vote system, there is a need to increase representation for strategic regions such as Yeongnam," hinting at a declaration of candidacy next week.
Lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu, who publicly expressed concern about Chair Jung's push to amend the party constitution and rules for a "one person, one vote" system, is also said to be weighing a run. Kang served as senior deputy secretary-general in the first Lee Jae-myung leadership and is considered a close aide to Prime Minister Kim Min-seok. Lawmaker Lee Geon-tae, a "former defense attorney in the Daejang-dong development scandal" involving President Lee Jae-myung, is also being mentioned as a potential candidate. On the 1st, he posted on Facebook, "Like other party officials, the party leader and supreme council members should have a deadline for resignation when seeking the same post again, clearly stated in the party constitution and rules." This was interpreted as a shot at Chair Jung, who is eyeing another term.
The pro-Myeong base has also begun to move. On online communities such as "Lee Jae-myung Will Do It DC Gallery," posts are appearing that say, "We must make Lee Geon-tae, Yu Dong-cheol, and Kang Deuk-gu supreme council members," and "We must apply strong pressure from all sides (to elect pro-Myeong supreme council members)," suggesting signs of an early overheat. If the by-election for supreme council members, which usually drew little interest, is reshaped into a "Myeong-Cheong layout," some forecast that an unexpectedly fierce battle will unfold.
As attempts at checks by the pro-Myeong faction surface, attention is also turning to "countermeasures" from Chair Jung's inner circle. Figures close to Jung—such as Lim Oh-kyung, head of the civil complaints policy office, and Kim Han-na, head of the Seocho-gap district committee—are being mentioned as potential candidates. Inside the party, some say, "If many figures close to the party leader jump into the by-election, the pro-Cheong system could become even more solid."
The reshuffle of the supreme council is expected to be the first test to gauge the future direction of party management under Jung Chung-rae's leadership ahead of next year's local elections. If the leadership's power dynamics change, messages for the upcoming local elections, the party-government coordination method, and the stance on responses to the judiciary and prosecutors could also be affected.