Victories by DP called warning to Lee
Published: 29 Oct. 2009, 23:01
The main opposition Democratic Party was so buoyed by its by-election victories Wednesday that it even considered a close defeat in a district a moral triumph.
And another election showing lukewarm support for the ruling Grand National Party is expected to impact controversial national issues, such as the Sejong City development project.
The Democratic Party took three of the five electoral districts in the second by-elections this year, including two key regions in the metropolitan Seoul area. In Yangsan, South Gyeongsang - a traditional GNP stomping ground - the DP’s Song In-bae pushed former GNP Chairman Park Hee-tae before losing by 3,299 votes, or about 4 percentage points.
The GNP, which was shut out in five districts in last April’s by-election, managed the Park victory and an easy win in Gangneung, Gangwon, where Kwon Seong-dong was elected.
Lee Chan-yeol was the DP’s big winner in the Suwon-Jangan region in Gyeonggi Province, where he edged Park Chan-sook of the GNP. In Jeungpyeong-Jincheon-Goesan-Eumseong in North Chungcheong Province, Chung Bum-gu easily defeated GNP candidate Kyeong Dae-soo. In Ansan, Gyeonggi, Kim Young-hwan of the DP beat the GNP’s Song Jin-sup.
The GNP will now control 169 seats in the 299-seat National Assembly against the DP’s 86 seats.
Emboldened by the victory, DP Chairman Chung Sye-kyun urged the Lee Myung-bak administration “to heed the call of the people and alter its position on pressing national issues.”
Party spokesman Woo Sang-ho said sensible voters have spoken.
“The results of the by-elections are the people’s message to the arrogant Lee Myung-bak government, and to the statesman who isn’t afraid of his own people,” Woo said. “The Democratic Party will take every word from the voters to heart and continue to work for the common people.”
Chung Mong-joon, the GNP chairman, said he was “humbled” by the by-election and that the party would continue to honor people’s wishes.
“The voters have given us both the stick and the carrot,” Chung assessed. “Our candidates did their part.”
Chung, who succeeded Park Hee-tae as the GNP chief in September, had looked to use wins in the Gyeonggi and Chungcheong regions to solidify his standing as the party leader and its primary presidential candidate.
But he is now likely to face calls for an early leadership change at a party convention before local elections next June.
The Blue House didn’t officially comment on the results. But one official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said while he accepts the ruling party’s defeat, “I don’t expect these by-elections to present any obstacles to managing our policies.”
But the loss in the North Chungcheong was a big blow for the ruling party. The GNP and the government are reviewing possibilities of revisions to the plan to relocate government offices south of Seoul to the new administrative capital Sejong City in South Chungcheong, a province adjacent to North Chungcheong. The government’s move to modify the original plan, first hatched under the Roh Moo-hyun government, had angered residents in both Chungcheong provinces.
By Yoo Jee-ho [[email protected]]
And another election showing lukewarm support for the ruling Grand National Party is expected to impact controversial national issues, such as the Sejong City development project.
The Democratic Party took three of the five electoral districts in the second by-elections this year, including two key regions in the metropolitan Seoul area. In Yangsan, South Gyeongsang - a traditional GNP stomping ground - the DP’s Song In-bae pushed former GNP Chairman Park Hee-tae before losing by 3,299 votes, or about 4 percentage points.
The GNP, which was shut out in five districts in last April’s by-election, managed the Park victory and an easy win in Gangneung, Gangwon, where Kwon Seong-dong was elected.
Lee Chan-yeol was the DP’s big winner in the Suwon-Jangan region in Gyeonggi Province, where he edged Park Chan-sook of the GNP. In Jeungpyeong-Jincheon-Goesan-Eumseong in North Chungcheong Province, Chung Bum-gu easily defeated GNP candidate Kyeong Dae-soo. In Ansan, Gyeonggi, Kim Young-hwan of the DP beat the GNP’s Song Jin-sup.
The GNP will now control 169 seats in the 299-seat National Assembly against the DP’s 86 seats.
Emboldened by the victory, DP Chairman Chung Sye-kyun urged the Lee Myung-bak administration “to heed the call of the people and alter its position on pressing national issues.”
Party spokesman Woo Sang-ho said sensible voters have spoken.
“The results of the by-elections are the people’s message to the arrogant Lee Myung-bak government, and to the statesman who isn’t afraid of his own people,” Woo said. “The Democratic Party will take every word from the voters to heart and continue to work for the common people.”
Chung Mong-joon, the GNP chairman, said he was “humbled” by the by-election and that the party would continue to honor people’s wishes.
“The voters have given us both the stick and the carrot,” Chung assessed. “Our candidates did their part.”
Chung, who succeeded Park Hee-tae as the GNP chief in September, had looked to use wins in the Gyeonggi and Chungcheong regions to solidify his standing as the party leader and its primary presidential candidate.
But he is now likely to face calls for an early leadership change at a party convention before local elections next June.
The Blue House didn’t officially comment on the results. But one official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said while he accepts the ruling party’s defeat, “I don’t expect these by-elections to present any obstacles to managing our policies.”
But the loss in the North Chungcheong was a big blow for the ruling party. The GNP and the government are reviewing possibilities of revisions to the plan to relocate government offices south of Seoul to the new administrative capital Sejong City in South Chungcheong, a province adjacent to North Chungcheong. The government’s move to modify the original plan, first hatched under the Roh Moo-hyun government, had angered residents in both Chungcheong provinces.
By Yoo Jee-ho [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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