"Running in Pyeongtaek-B" Cho Kuk Says, "Parties Responsible for By-elections Should Not Field Candidates"

According to The Financial News, Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk declared on the 14th that he will run in the Pyeongtaek-B constituency in Gyeonggi Province in the June 3 parliamentary by-elections, which will be held alongside the local elections.
At a press conference at the National Assembly to reveal where he would run, Cho said, "To achieve zero People Power Party and zero corruption, I am once again taking a step forward from the edge of a cliff, and I will run in the Pyeongtaek-B parliamentary by-election." He continued, "I will become the 13th lawmaker of the Rebuilding Korea Party and, with a more burning passion than any lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, I will take responsibility for and carry out the historic tasks of 'bringing the insurrection to a complete end and completing genuine reform.'"
He stated, "From early on, I have repeatedly said that the highest goal of these local elections and parliamentary by-elections is to judge the far-right insurrectionist political forces and reduce the People Power Party to zero." He added, "At the same time, I have consistently emphasized the principle that any party responsible for causing a parliamentary by-election should refrain from fielding a candidate."
The Pyeongtaek-B constituency became vacant after former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Byung-jin received a confirmed fine of 7 million won from the Supreme Court for failing to report assets under the Public Official Election Act and violating the Real Name Real Estate Act, which resulted in the invalidation of his election. Against this backdrop, Cho has argued that the Democratic Party bears responsibility for the by-election and is calling on the party not to nominate a candidate.
Cho also said, "Pyeongtaek-B is one of the toughest battlegrounds for the pro-democracy and reform camp, as the People Power Party has won there in the 19th through 21st general elections." He went on, "Now, Hwang Kyo-ahn, a pro-Yoon figure, election-fraud conspiracy theorist, and insurrection suspect, has raised his flag in this district."
He continued, "In the People Power Party, which I call a party that defends insurrection, four figures, including three-term former lawmaker and preliminary candidate Yu Eui-dong, are fiercely competing to reclaim what they see as their home turf." He asserted, "Let me say this clearly: only I, Cho Kuk, can decisively defeat all of these far-right insurrectionist political forces and deliver a clear victory for the pro-democracy and reform camp."
Cho drew a line, at least for now, against unifying candidates within the broader progressive camp, including the Democratic Party of Korea. Even if a five-way race unfolds among himself, the Democratic Party candidate, the People Power Party candidate, Kim Jae-yeon, standing representative of the Progressive Party who declared her candidacy early, and Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of Freedom & Innovation, Cho says he intends to break through the race on his own political strength. He also dismissed concerns that intensified competition within the progressive camp could hand an easy victory to a conservative candidate.
He also explained why he chose Pyeongtaek-B as his constituency. "I have repeatedly communicated two criteria," Cho said. "First, a party that is responsible for causing a by-election should not field a candidate. Second, it must be a district where, if I step forward, I can defeat the People Power Party candidate. Based on these two criteria, I chose Pyeongtaek-B."
Cho had originally planned to announce his constituency earlier. However, after the Democratic Party of Korea proposed a merger, party affairs became focused on merger talks. As internal sentiment grew increasingly unsettled during that process, he said he had no choice but to delay announcing his constituency in order to first stabilize the party.
Cho is expected to visit Pyeongtaek City Hall soon to personally present his policies and vision for the Pyeongtaek-B constituency.
gowell@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter