{"id":2208346,"date":"2025-02-12T13:57:43","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T04:57:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2208346"},"modified":"2025-02-12T13:57:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T04:57:43","slug":"south-koreas-opposition-faces-chaos-if-lee-jae-myung-is-barred-from-running","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2025\/02\/south-koreas-opposition-faces-chaos-if-lee-jae-myung-is-barred-from-running\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s opposition faces chaos if Lee Jae-myung is barred from running"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lee Jae-myung\u2019s legal troubles could upend South Korea\u2019s main opposition Democratic Party (DP) race, raising the prospect of an alternative progressive candidate if he is barred from running. Although Lee <\/span>leads<\/span><\/a> progressive presidential polls by a wide margin, his <\/span>first-trial conviction<\/span><\/a> for election law violations and pending Supreme Court ruling create uncertainty.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Constitutional Court\u2019s upcoming <\/span>impeachment verdict<\/span><\/a> on President Yoon Suk-yeol adds further volatility. As it is still unclear when the court will rule on Yoon\u2019s impeachment, it becomes crucial to examine DP contenders who may emerge if Lee is disqualified.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> analyzed recent developments among the figures less aligned with Lee in the broader progressive opposition bloc who are likely waiting in the wings to potentially run for the presidential election.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon meets with citizens | Image: Gyeonggi Province<\/p><\/div>\n

ALTERNATIVE CANDIDATES EMERGE<\/b><\/p>\n

Several prominent DP figures have subtly positioned themselves as alternatives to Lee, intensifying their criticism of his leadership in recent weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyung-soo has called for \u201cgreater diversity\u201d in candidate selection, implying that the DP should not rally around a single figure before party primaries are held. His comments reflect growing concerns among some progressives that Lee\u2019s dominance could limit voter choices and weaken the party\u2019s broader appeal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon has taken a more direct approach, openly criticizing Lee\u2019s recent pro-business shift. Although Lee framed his sudden shift \u2014 arguing for economic and foreign policies that are typically associated with conservatives \u2014 as \u201c<\/span>pragmatism<\/span><\/a>,\u201d Kim refuted that pragmatism cannot serve as both a goal and a value, warning that such an approach risks diluting the party\u2019s traditional platform and legacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Gyeonggi governor\u2019s criticism extended to Lee\u2019s proposal to exempt semiconductor R&D workers from the country\u2019s <\/span>52-hour workweek rule<\/span><\/a>, which he dismissed as a \u201cmisreading of the times.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Former Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom has also distanced himself from Lee, particularly regarding the latter\u2019s recent <\/span>request<\/span><\/a> for the Constitutional Court to review the election law he was found guilty of having violated in November, which many observers viewed as a delay tactic in his legal battle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim Bu-gyeom suggested that a political leader should demonstrate trust in \u201cboth the people and the courts,\u201d signaling his disapproval of Lee\u2019s strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, former DP chairman Lee Nak-yon has taken the strongest stance against Lee, repeatedly arguing that both Yoon Suk-yeol and Lee Jae-myung should step away from politics. Since 2023, he has claimed that Lee\u2019s leadership has weakened the DP and accused him of suppressing internal party democracy.<\/span><\/p>\n

While none of these figures have formally declared their candidacy, their increasing willingness to challenge Lee\u2019s leadership suggests that they are preparing for the possibility of an open race should legal rulings prevent Lee from running.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t