SEOUL– Six contenders of the ruling party’s leadership race held a presentation session Tuesday and announced their visions, pitching themselves as the right person to lead the party through next year’s general elections and work for the success of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.
Four-term lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon, considered one of the strongest candidates, stressed his loyalty to the party, saying he has never left the People Power Party (PPP) and emphasizing he is the one that “protected the root of traditional conservatism.”
Kim said he will give full support to help the Yoon administration fulfill its reform tasks.
Another leading candidate Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo said he will bring the PPP to a victory in the parliamentary elections to be held next year by winning 170 out of a total of 300 seats.
The PPP currently holds only 115 seats in the National Assembly, while the main opposition Democratic Party has a majority control of the assembly with 169 seats.
Ahn’s appearance grabbed attention as he called off all campaign events Monday after Yoon’s office openly bristled at his suggestion that he has good “alliance”-like relations with Yoon.
Another candidate Chun Ha-ram, an attorney favorable to ousted PPP chair Lee Jun-seok, called for Yoon’s noninvolvement in the PPP’s leadership race, saying that is the way the party can win the parliamentary elections.
Earlier in the day, Lee criticized the presidential office in a radio interview for saying the president can comment on party matters as a party member the previous day, calling it “interference in party affairs.”
The remaining candidates — former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, Reps. Cho Kyoung-tae and Yoon Sang-hyun — also said they can lead the party well.
Hwang vowed to work for the success of the Yoon administration while Cho promoted he is the longest-serving sitting lawmaker at the party. Yoon said he will renovate the party.
After the conference, Kim held a lunch meeting with former PPP lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who bowed out of the race despite her popularity among PPP supporters in the wake of a policy row with the presidential office.
Amid speculation the meeting means Na is backing Kim, Kim remained cautious, only saying he has discussed various topic with Na and they will have a chance to work together in the future for the success of the Yoon government.
The PPP plans to hold a national convention on March 8 to pick its new chair.
Source: Yonhap News Agency