In the re-election for the National Assembly members held together with the March 9th Presidential Election, the People's Power announced that it will not allow the reappointment of the party if they run as an independent after leaving the party.
Kwon Young-se, chairman of the nomination management committee, said on Facebook today (29th), "There will be no re-election for independent candidates after leaving the party in this by-election."
It is interpreted as a message aimed at Supreme Councilor Kim Jae-won, who said, "I will run as an independent and return to the party after being elected as an independent," amid the people's power to vote non-nominated in Daegu's Jung and Nam-gu districts.
Daegu Jung/Nam-gu was the constituency of former lawmaker Kwak Sang-do.
People's Power announced that it would not nominate in this area, considering former lawmaker Kwak resigned as a member of the National Assembly after taking responsibility for his son's involvement in his son's corruption in the development of Daejang-dong.
However, when Supreme Councilor Kim Jae-won, who was running as a preliminary candidate, said, "I will run as an independent and return to the party after being elected," criticism poured out from the passport, saying it was "a nomination disguised as a no-nomination."
Criticism came from within the party as well.
Former Rep. Lee Eon-joo, targeting Facebook's top member Kim, said, "I'm ashamed. During the last (April 7 Seoul/Busan mayor) by-election, the Democratic Party broke its original promise and rushed to revise the party constitutional rules to force the nomination, but the people were outraged. "Did you forget that you were judged?" he said, "The criticism of the Democratic Party by saying that it is a non-needle party is becoming overshadowed."
A party official also reportedly said in a phone call with the press, "This is a natural measure in that we cannot show the people the troublesome image of running for office again after running as an independent," he said.
(Photo = Yonhap News)