Choo Mi-ae Is Already Gearing Up, While the People Power Party Still Has Not Decided on a Primary

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[The Financial News] The Democratic Party of Korea has already finalized lawmaker Choo Mi-ae as its candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province and has moved into full campaign mode. The opposition camp, however, has not even settled on the rules for choosing its candidate. The situation highlights the shortage of viable contenders and the confusion surrounding the nomination process under unfavorable conditions. With less than a month left before candidate registration, voices are growing that the party must move quickly.
According to the opposition camp on the 19th, the PPP's Nomination Management Committee has still not reached a conclusion on how to select its candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province. Park Duk-hyum, the committee chair, said on the 18th that a decision on the selection method would likely come "around Monday or Tuesday, the 20th or 21st."
The delay stems from the party leadership's view that it lacks a candidate capable of going head-to-head with the DPK nominee. In the first round of candidate registration, Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja and former lawmaker Ham Jin-gyu entered the race, but the fact that the Lee Jung-hyun-led nomination committee and the leadership courted heavier names such as former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min shows the party's intent. Despite those efforts, Yoo ultimately declined to run. In the second round, Supreme Council member Cho Kwang-han and former announcer Lee Seong-bae declared their candidacies and underwent interviews on the 17th. Still, analysts widely say they are not strong enough to break through Choo's dominance, given her six-term record and her past roles as minister of justice and chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
By contrast, Choo, who was confirmed as the candidate long ago, has already begun a campaign to win over local voters. She has been meeting religious leaders across Gyeonggi Province, showing broad outreach. PPP hopefuls have been emphasizing her image as a "fighter" and arguing that she lacks practical and administrative skills. In response, Choo has been expanding her contact with children, young people and people with disabilities through her YouTube channel, "Choo Mi-ae TV," as well as through offline campaign activities.
The longer the PPP delays its candidate selection, the greater the concern that Choo will seize the initiative. On the 16th, PPP lawmakers from Gyeonggi Province delivered a proposal to the nomination committee, warning that "the other camp has already reorganized its lineup and is accelerating its policy campaign, so the party's convention effect could disappear as well." They added that the party should "make a strategic judgment and wrap up the nomination with a candidate who has the competitiveness and broad appeal to lead the overall race in Gyeonggi Province."
Inside the PPP, however, some remain optimistic. Because Choo is widely disliked as a hardliner, they argue that the party could still win if it fields a candidate with strong appeal to the political center. In particular, they believe that putting forward someone like Yang, an expert in the semiconductor industry, one of Gyeonggi Province's key industries, could help distinguish the candidate from Choo.
For that scenario to materialize, however, the role of the third party Reform Party is likely to become important. If the RP, which is seeking to expand its influence by entering the 22nd National Assembly of the Republic of Korea with a base in the Seoul metropolitan area, joins forces with the PPP, it could improve the PPP candidate's chances of victory.
The Reform Party, however, has also yet to settle on a candidate. It is reportedly not considering a unified candidacy with the PPP for now, and party leader Lee Jun-seok is personally searching for a nominee. A Reform Party official said, "We will definitely field a candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province," adding, "We are looking for someone with a strong understanding of business and the semiconductor industry." The party is expected to complete its talent recruitment drive as early as later this month.
haeram@fnnews.com Lee Hae-ram Reporter