PPP cuts off incumbent lawmakers after re-vote of special counsel investigation bill on First Lady

Yoon Jae-ok, chairman of the People‘s Power Party, holds a meeting at the National Assembly on Friday. Yonhap News Agency

The Nomination Management Committee of the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) strategically nominated Yoo Yeong-ha, a close aide to former President Park Geun-hye, in Dalseo-gap, Daegu, on March 5. Shin Dong-wook, a former TV Chosun anchor, was nominated in Seocho-eul, Seoul, and Ko Dong-jin, a former president of Samsung Electronics, was nominated in Gangnam-byeong, Seoul. Representatives Hong Seok-joon, Yoo Kyung-joon, Ahn Byeong-gil, and Ji Sung-ho were cut off and three local constituency lawmakers who were selected by public nominations were virtually excluded from the nomination for the upcoming general election. After the rejection of the special counsel investigation bill on the alleged manipulation of stock prices by Kim Keon-hee, the spouse of President Yoon Suk-yeol, the cutoff of incumbent lawmakers is pouring out.

Chung Young-hwan, the chairman of PPP’s Nomination Management Committee, announced the results of the nomination at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul on the same day.

Yoo Yeong-ha, who served as former president Park Geun-hye’s defense lawyer during her impeachment and criminal trial, stood by Park's side after her impeachment and helped her in every way possible. Analysts say President Yoon met with Park, whom he had arrested, several times and tried to reconcile, and as a result, Yoo received a strategic nomination. Chung said, "There are some political judgments in it." Representative Hong Seok-joon, who is currently serving as lawmaker of Dalseo-gap, was cut off. Following lawyer Do Tae-woo, two former members of Park's legal counsel will be nominated in Daegu.

Representative Ji Sung-ho, a proportional representative, was cut off as former anchor Shin was nominated for Seocho-eul. Park Sung-jung, an incumbent lawmaker in Seocho-eul, won a strategic nomination in Bucheon-eul, Gyeonggi Province. The PPP deployed two former TV Chosun anchors along with former anchor Park Jung-hoon (Songpa-gap) in three Gangnam districts of Seoul where the party is expected to win the election. In Gangnam-byeong, the ruling party nominated former president of Samsung Electronics Ko Dong-jin, who was recruited by the party leader Han Dong-hoon.

In Asan-gap, South Chungcheong Province, the party nominated former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kim Young-seok. Kim is currently facing a second trial for obstructing the activities of the Sewol ferry disaster special investigation committee.

The PPP decided to conduct public nominations in five constituencies: Gangnam-gap and Gangnam-eul in Seoul, Dong and Gunwi-gap and Buk-gap in Daegu, and Nam-gap in Ulsan. As the system was designed to give opportunities to young people in response to criticism that "there is no impression in the nomination process," the possibility of incumbent lawmakers being nominated is expected to be low. There are interpretations that Ryu Sung-gul, Yang Geum-hee, and Lee Chae-ik were virtually cut off.

Kim Young-joo, vice chairman of the National Assembly who defected from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and Park Min-sik, former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, were strategically nominated in Yeongdeungpo-gap, Seoul. Han Jung-min, a researcher at Samsung Electronics, was strategically nominated for Hwaseong-eul, Gyeonggi Province, where Lee Jun-seok, chairman of the New Reform Party, is running for the general election. Lawmaker Lee Yong, who is known as the "Guard of President Yoon," will enter the race in Hanam-gap, Gyeonggi Province.

Analysts say that the PPP, which has been keen on reducing the backlash from incumbent lawmakers by minimizing their cutoff and deciding to hold a primary in 86 out of 240 constituencies, went on the offensive after the re-vote of the special counsel investigation bill on First Lady Kim Keon-hee was rejected on February 29. Before the re-vote of the special counsel investigation bill, only Seo Jeong-sook and Choi Young-hee were excluded from the nomination of local constituencies, but eight PPP lawmakers were virtually excluded from the nomination, with four members being cut off following the cutoff of five-term lawmaker Kim Young-sun and three constituencies being selected as districts for public nominations on March 2.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.