Strategic cohabitation between Kim Moo-sung and Choi Gyeong-hwan

Immediately after the 14th general elections in early April 1992, former President Roh Tae-woo summoned the then lawmaker-elected Lee Man-seop to the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae under the tightest secret. Roh hinted that he didn’t want to allow Rep. Kim Young-sam of the Democratic Liberal Party, which had become a “one body” from the merging of three parties two years ago, to run for president. Roh had been pissed off by Kim many times. In his memoirs, Lee Man-seop revealed he persuaded Roh by saying that without Kim, it would be hard to win at the presidential election as voters in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province would cast their ballots for other parties. While the merging of three parties had been maintained, Kim was able to become a presidential candidate and eventually was elected as the president in December the same year.

Ahead of the 19th general elections in 2012, Rep. Kim Moo-sung was eliminated from the nomination by the Saenuri Party. Having been furious, he mulled over leaving the party and independently running for the election, by forming anti-Park coalition with pro-Lee Myung-bak faction. Kim even considered the idea of forming a new party with Rep. Shim Dae-pyeong of the Liberty Forward Party. Kim, however, decided to remain at the party thanks to the persuasion of Rep. Choi Gyeong-hwan. There was no further leave from Busan and South Gyeongsang Province. In October 2012, the Advancement Unification Party was merged with the Saenuri Party, which brought back the hearts and minds of the “once-left” Chungcheong provinces, and the three parties were merged again. Two months later, Park Geun-hye was elected as the next president.

Some speculate that the meeting among Saenuri Party floor leader Chung Jin-suk, Kim Moo-sung and Choi Gyeong-hwan on May 24 was a sign of forming a new three-party system. It may sound like an exaggeration but is understandable since figures who represent Chungcheong, Busan, Daegu and the Gyeongsang region gathered together in seeking for future direction of the party. Right after the meeting, an innovation emergency measures committee under Kim Hui-ok has been formed, while Kim Moo-sung and Choi Gyeong-hwan resumed their political activities. Some even assume that the three figures might have made a secret promise over presidency and party leader.

Once known to be lovebirds, Kim and Choi had faced a breakup due to crushing defeat of the recent general elections but avoided an extreme option of divorce. The breakup between the two could lead to the rupture between Busan and South Gyeongsang Province, and Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, and the collapse of three-party structure that has supported the Saenuri Party for 26 years. It could lead to a downfall of the party and recreation of power. Their dream would be shattered as well. That might be the reason the two have decided to avoid a divorce, maintaining a “strategic cohabitation” which seemingly looks like a couple. The move that the two have made looks just like that way.

이진녕 jinnyong@donga.com