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| From left are Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Dong-yeon and Lee Jae-myung. Korea Times photo |
Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Dong-yeon establish themselves as presidential contenders
By Kang Seung-woo
High-profile politicians survived the local elections or the by-elections, simultaneously held, Wednesday. But they are expected to head in different directions in the post-election political landscape.
Former presidential candidates Ahn Cheol-soo of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and Kim Dong-yeon of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) won a parliamentary seat and the governorship of Gyeonggi Province, respectively, positions that will allow them to gain another shot at the presidency.
On the other hand, Lee Jae-myung of the DPK also won a ticket to enter the National Assembly. But the party's devastating defeat in the elections overshadows his victory and future political ambitions, because the former Gyeonggi governor, who led the party's election committee, faced criticism for returning to politics too soon after his loss in the presidential election in March.
Ahn, who has returned to the National Assembly for the first time in five years as a three-term lawmaker, is expected to gain a footing in the PPP, with which his former People's Party merged following the presidential election. Ahn dropped out of the presidential race to endorse his rival, Yoon Suk-yeol, who became president.
So far, a lack of support within the party has plagued him, but throughout the election campaign, Ahn has successfully expanded his presence by canvassing voters to solicit support for the PPP candidates in Seoul and its surrounding areas on nearly 50 occasions.
Formerly the head of Yoon's transition team, he took himself out of consideration for the prime minister position, raising speculation that he will focus on next year's PPP primary to select its chairman.
Should Ahn take charge of the PPP next year, he will be able to secure the nomination right ahead of the general election in 2024 and further tighten his grip on the party, which will then serve as a springboard for another shot at the presidency, according to political watchers.
Asked late last month if he will run for party chairman following the by-elections, Ahn said, "It will be decided when the time comes."
After edging out Kim Eun-hye, Yoon's close aide, for the Gyeonggi governor post, Kim Dong-yeon has established himself as a potential contender in the next presidential election.
His election carries extra weight as he survived the DPK's election defeat by clinching a victory in the most-populous region in the country, which was regarded as a major battleground in the local elections, and furthermore keeping alive public sentiment to keep the Yoon administration in check. In the presidential election, Kim Dong-yeon withdrew his candidacy before the presidential election to endorse Lee.
However, the former finance minister has yet to express his decision on whether to run in the primary, scheduled for August.
Lee's election win in Incheon's Gyeyang District B was bittersweet.
The by-election win may give him another chance to recover from the defeat in the presidential election, but his controversial candidacy, accompanied by his abrupt pledge to relocate Gimpo International Airport's services, is believed to have negatively affected the DPK in the elections.
Initially, the DPK hoped that its candidate in the Incheon mayoral race would have benefited from a halo effect from Lee's candidacy, but the PPP took the post.
The election results could mean a rough ride for Lee in his pursuit of the DPK leadership, because he may face calls to take responsibility for the election loss due to his status as the chief of the election committee.
"Lee's running in the by-election may have to do with his shot at the party chairman post, but he is part of the DPK's crushing defeat, preventing him from running in the primary light-heartedly," Rep. Cho Eung-cheon of the DPK said in a radio interview, Thursday.
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