Will former presidential secretary run for Dongjak by-election?

The ruling Saenuri Party has been stirred up by the rumor that Lee Jung-hyun, former presidential press secretary and President Park’s confidant, is going to run in the July 30 by-election. It is said that Lee talked to a key member of the ruling party over the phone last week and said he had an intention to run in the by-election. He will hold a press conference on his decision this week.

Many expect Lee to run for the Dongjak B constituency whose seat is now empty after Rep. Chung Mong-joon resigned to run for Seoul mayor. Lee lives in an apartment near Dongjak B and he goes to a church, which is the largest in Dongjak B. Some say that as he is from Gokseong, Jeolla Province, he could work in the constituency that has a progressive inclination.

The ruling party’s leadership seems to be thinking a lot about this as Lee is President Park’s confidant and Dongjak B will be the fiercest battle field in the Seoul metropolitan area. If Lee runs in the election, the by-election would be a judgment to the Park administration.

Political bigwigs –Kim Moon-soo, Gyeonggi Province governor, Oh Se-hoon, a former Seoul mayor, Na Kyung-won, a former lawmaker, Kim Hwang-sik, a former prime minister, and Lee Hye-hoon, a former lawmaker – are mentioned as candidates for Dongjak B.

The main opposition New Political Alliance for Democracy is highly likely to select a political bigwig to make the election a judgment of the incumbent government. It is considering Chung Dong-young, a former unification minister and presidential candidate, Chun Jung-bae, a former justice minister, and Geum Tae-seop, the party’s spokesman and the confidant of Ahn Cheol-soo. Other candidates include Lee Gye-an, a former lawmaker, Park Yong-jin, chair of the party’s public relations committee, Heo Dong-jun, chair of the party’s regional committee.

Kim Hyun-chul, former President Kim Young-sam’s second son, said on his Twitter on Friday, “I will run as a candidate of the New Political Alliance for Democracy for the Dongjak B constituency.” He is said to have asked for help to Kwon No-gap, the opposition party’s senior advisor, “My father’s will is me running in the Dongjak B election.”