{"id":2200344,"date":"2023-03-08T19:37:50","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T10:37:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2200344"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:08:01","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:08:01","slug":"why-south-koreas-new-ruling-party-leader-faces-difficult-days-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/03\/why-south-koreas-new-ruling-party-leader-faces-difficult-days-ahead\/","title":{"rendered":"Why South Korea\u2019s new ruling party leader faces difficult days ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"

After months of bitter campaigning, South Korea\u2019s conservative People Power Party (PPP) has elected Kim Gi-hyeon, a legislator close to the presidential office, as its new chairman.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the results are not terribly surprising \u2014 he is the president’s presumed favorite for party chair and led party polls for some time \u2014 Kim must now keep the party behind him while deflecting criticism that he is too close to the president.<\/span><\/p>\n

A record number of PPP voters cast their vote for the new chairperson on Wednesday, and Kim won with 52.93% of all ballots. Coming in a distant second was Ahn Cheol-soo with 23.37% of the votes, followed by Hwang Kyo-ahn with 15% of the vote<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim Gi-hyeon <\/span>began his career<\/span><\/a> in 2003. He also served as mayor of Ulsan from 2014 to 2018 and as interim leader from April to June 2021. Last year, President Yoon chose Kim as his <\/span>special envoy to the EU<\/span><\/a>, and many speculated Yoon preferred Kim as PPP chair ahead of any other candidate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yoon kept a close watch on the race and went as far as to attend the convention, marking the first time a ROK president attended a national party convention since 2016. He gave a campaign-like speech extolling liberal democracy and the need to root out \u201cvested interests,\u201d a phrase he used before when referencing labor unions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim was an early backer of Yoon on the campaign trail and has been one of his staunchest supporters since he was elected. This may make it difficult to command the respect of his fellow lawmakers, who may see him as an extension of the presidential office rather than a true party leader.<\/span><\/p>\n

CORRUPTION ACCUSATIONS<\/b><\/p>\n

Just a day before polls closed, his closest competitor, Ahn Cheol-soo, <\/span>filed a complaint<\/span><\/a> against a senior presidential secretary following revelations that presidential staffers campaigned for Kim.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Ahn <\/span>carefully avoided<\/span><\/a> holding Yoon personally accountable for interfering in party affairs, he <\/span>urged<\/span><\/a> Kim to withdraw from the leadership race following the revelations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim is also accused of using insider information to make illegal profits while working as an adviser to the Ulsan Metropolitan Government.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hwang Kyo-ahn, a former prime minister and acting president who also sought to be the PPP\u2019s leader, <\/span>accused<\/span><\/a> Kim of exercising influence to get a high-speed rail route to pass through a tract of forestland he owns in Ulsan to boost his property price.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim has denied any wrongdoing and <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> he would formally ask the police to investigate the accusations against him to prove his innocence, promising to retire from politics \u201cimmediately\u201d if found guilty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But he added he would hold those who \u201crecklessly tarnished\u201d his reputation and that of the PPP politically and legally accountable if proven innocent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Irrespective of his guilt or innocence, accusations of corruption from such high-profile figures on the right might be more than sufficient to damage Kim\u2019s credibility before his tenure as party leader can even begin.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung <\/span>faces<\/span><\/a> multiple prosecutorial investigations and parliamentary votes on whether to approve a warrant for his arrest, the DP will most likely jump at the chance to turn the spotlight on PPP corruption. Kim will probably have little time to enjoy his win.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo during a TV debate, March 3, 2023 | Image: Facebook<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

SIMMERING TENSION<\/b><\/p>\n

Runner-up Ahn Cheol-soo has kept a respectful tone when speaking about President Yoon in public. Ahn at one point <\/span>claimed<\/span><\/a> the two shared an \u201calliance\u201d relationship (a description rejected by the presidential office), and his decision to drop out and back Yoon during last year\u2019s presidential election was likely instrumental in Yoon\u2019s victory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Losing the race for party leadership has to hurt, however, and may irrevocably splinter the two,\u00a0 especially after he briefly <\/span>led<\/span><\/a> in the polls before media reports leaked that Yoon preferred Kim.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ahn has a long history of forming, joining and leaving political parties \u2014 the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, Bareun Mirae Party, the People Party and now the People Power Party.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout his political career, Ahn has transformed from a progressive to a moderate to a conservative. And it was only as a conservative that he was elected as a lawmaker. After his latest defeat, however, he might be unable to garner sufficient support to remain in office outside the PPP.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ahn still commands some sway, however, and found himself united with Hwang in an effort to derail Kim\u2019s candidacy. However limited in scope this new relationship turns out to be, it demonstrates that Ahn can help form intra-party coalitions for specific ends.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, signaling to PPP members and lawmakers that his claims to being a Yoon loyalist were not merely campaign rhetoric, Kim Gi-hyeon screamed \u201cLong live Yoon Suk-yeol\u201d during his acceptance speech on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim\u2019s election as the new PPP leader marks the beginning of much closer cooperation and coordination between the party and the presidential office. Whether that will be sufficient to retake majority control of the National Assembly from the DP in next year\u2019s parliamentary election remains to be seen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Edited by Arius Derr<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Domestic Politics<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After months of bitter campaigning, South Korea\u2019s conservative People Power Party (PPP) has elected Kim Gi-hyeon, a legislator close to the presidential office, as its new chairman. 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