All People Can See Is a Power Struggle in the Ruling Party's Presidential Race

[경향신문]

Democratic Party of Korea leader Song Young-gil (second from left) greets the people present after paying his respects before the statue of former President Kim Dae-jung at Kim Dae Jung Plaza in Samhyang-eup, Muan-gun in Jeollanam-do on June 21. Yonhap News

Conflicts triggered by the debate on postponing the Democratic Party of Korea’s race for a presidential candidate are building up. Behind the conflicts lie a battle for future power between Lee Jae-myung and the non-Lee Jae-myung alliance. On the outside, they seem to be debating about principle and postponing the party election to secure the party’s victory in the presidential election. But experts explain that it is the eruption of an age-old conflict between the factions in the party centered on the pro-Moon Jae-in group. Future visions and policies of the candidates have disappeared, and the ruling party is immersed in a power struggle which is dragging them into a “civil war” over the presidential election.

The recent debate on postponing the Democratic Party’s election to choose its presidential candidate seems to represent factional conflicts. In other words, it is a power struggle centered on the pro-Moon members who are the party’s mainstream and who form the biggest faction in the party.

Pro-Moon lawmakers have split up among the major presidential candidates including Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung, former party leader Lee Nak-yeon, and former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun. But after the latest conflict surfaced as a joint movement by non-Lee Jae-myung candidates targeting Governor Lee, a non-Moon figure, some also interpret the conflict as a confrontation between the pro-Moon and the non-Moon groups.

A typical example was when pro-Moon figures argued for the need to postpone the primary saying, “We need to consider the situation with COVID-19 and the opposition party’s primary,” and Governor Lee and his supporters fought back by questioning, “Why are you trying to change it now after remaining silent for a year?” Lee Jae-myung and his supporters said, “Last year when former leader Lee Nak-yeon topped the survey of presidential candidates and Governor Lee was second, former leader Lee Hae-chan, the leader of the pro-Moon group, had the party’s constitution and regulations state that ‘the presidential primary election should be conducted 180 days before the presidential election.’ Back then, they accepted this. Only recently have they begun to question this. Their change of attitude is strange from whichever angle you look at it.” They interpreted the latest debate as a factional conflict.

The discord is gradually escalating so many lawmakers are eyeing the situation unable to determine where to head. They are trying to avoid the situation, which is leading to factional strife. They are just putting their names among the candidates’ camps, pledging support for multiple candidates, or promising to take part when the party candidate is determined.

Some lawmakers are still putting their hopes on a possible third candidate. Since Kim Kyoung-soo, the governor of Gyeongsangnam-do who is referred to as the “legitimate child” of the pro-Moon group, refused to run for president, there is no perfect pro-Moon candidate. In this situation, the lawmakers are searching for a candidate other than Lee Jae-myung. One example is how the People’s Solidarity for Economic Democratization and Peaceful Unification (PSEDPU)--the second-largest faction following the pro-Moons--is putting their hopes on Lee In-young, minister of unification. Some lawmakers in the Democratic Party’s two largest factions are in favor of postponing the party primary to secure more time to allow the rise of a third candidate.

Inside and outside the party, there is growing concern about the presidential election next year due to the internal strife regardless of whether the primary is pushed back. The fiercer the conflict, the bigger the damage. So they question whether the party will be able to come together again.

Some are calling for lawmakers to reflect on the fact that the situation is being likened to a civil war. Day after day, candidates are engaging in a heated debate on postponing the primary election, and interest is wandering away from policies and visions. One senior lawmaker who has yet to pledge support for any candidate said over the phone, “We’ve got a pile of work to do like attract the public who turned away due to real estate and young people in their twenties and thirties, so we need to think about what the current situation would look like to the people. It is time for each candidate to carefully think about what would help the party extend its time in the presidential office.”