Main opposition party`s primary falls off interest

"It would have been better to hold primary tours," an official at the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy deplored, as the party`s February 8 primary has failed to heat up the atmosphere. Lee In-young, who is running for the party`s chairmanship, also complained that the primary has "three no`s -- no promotion, no impression and no vision."

The NPAD holds a "one shot" primary in which its new leadership is elected by combining the results of advance opinion polls and voting at its convention in southern Seoul on February 8. The party ruled out primary tours, in which votes are cast in each region, because the early state of the race could determine the result.

Candidates are campaigning in each region but have failed to attract attention because of the lack of regional voting. A first-term NPAD lawmaker also expressed regret, saying that the party could have caught public eyes by holding regional primaries on weekends. In fact, the party held successful primary tours in 2012 when lawmakers Kim Han-gill and Lee Hae-chan had a tight race for leadership.

Meanwhile, each candidate`s camp is concentrating on drumming up support. Party delegates are the main target, as 12,000 delegates account for 45 percent of the result. About 260,000 party members paying membership fees represent 30 percent, while public opinion polls account for 25 percent (15 percent for general public and 10 percent for ordinary party members). Therefore, each delegate`s weight in the result is much larger than other factors.

One two-term lawmaker of the party claimed there are rumors that some regional party chiefs will give instructions early next month to delegates and fee-paying members on whom to support. In response, 64 regional party chiefs, including 36 incumbent lawmakers, called for a ban on giving such instructions and exercising influence over delegates.