SEOUL– The Democratic Party on Thursday reversed itself and decided to select its nominee for Seoul mayor through a primary that includes former party chief Song Young-gil amid a power struggle between those for or against former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung.
The decision came two days after Song, a key pro-Lee lawmaker, was “cut off” as a mayoral candidate after the party decided last week to make a “strategic nomination” in which the nominee is handpicked by the party without a primary.
Song and his allies have since vehemently protested, with Song saying in a radio interview that his exclusion effectively represents a “preemptive strike” aimed at opposing Lee’s political comeback.
On Thursday, the party reversed the decision and decided to select a nominee through a primary.
The party’s emergency committee made the decision after a two-hour meeting, according to chief spokesperson Koh Yong-jin, adding that its mayoral primary will also have a run-off voting system and more than one TV debate.
Song and one of his allies, Rep. Park Ju-min, will be allowed to compete in its mayoral primary, the party said. Including the two, six DP members have so far declared their bids for Seoul mayor.
The Seoul mayoral election will be one of the biggest races, along with the gubernatorial election in Gyeonggi Province, with current Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party expected to seek reelection.
Source: Yonhap News Agency