Kim Chong-in solidifies leadership with election victory

Kim Chong-in, the interim leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK), speaks about the results of the general election during a press conference at the National Assembly, Seoul, Thursday. / Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun

By Jun Ji-hye

The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) secured most seats in Wednesday’s general election ― a stunning feat that exceeded all expectations.

A commonly held view is that this would never have been possible without the strong leadership of its interim leader, Kim Chong-in.

The MPK’s triumph over the ruling Saenuri Party will add considerable momentum to Kim’s leadership for a while, which will also be helpful for a potential bid to run as a candidate in the 2017 presidential election, according to analysts.

In Wednesday’s general election, the opposition party bagged 123 of 300 parliamentary seats over the ruling party’s 122 seats ― an outcome that no political commentators expected.

Kim secured his fifth parliamentary term by taking the second spot in the party’s proportional representative seat lineup. He is the first lawmaker to be elected five times on a proportional representation ticket.

Speaking at a news conference at the National Assembly, Thursday, Kim said the most substantial meaning of the election was the fact that the Saenuri Party failed to retain its legislative majority.

“There are no political forces that can defeat the people,” he said. “The voters delivered their stern judgment on the botched economic policies of the Park Geun-hye government and the Saenuri Party.”

Kim urged the governing party to “realize” that the main cause of their defeat was a failure to improve the livelihoods of ordinary citizens.

Kim served as a chief campaigner for the then governing party candidate, President Park, during the 2012 presidential election. So, both positive and negative assessments were made regarding Kim’s leadership since he joined the opposition party on Jan. 14.

In fact, he was embroiled in controversy several times during the process of nominating candidates for the election ― he fell into an intense conflict with MPK members in late March after placing himself in the No. 2 slot on the list of proportional representation candidates, which his critics described as selfish and an inappropriate abuse of authority.

Kim also provoked protests from hard-line members of the party after he called their political identity into question.

The sense of crisis was intensified further after some opinion polls predicted that the MPK would barely manage to garner about 100 seats due to divisions among the opposition parties, citing the rejection from the minor opposition People’s Party to put up a single candidate of the opposition bloc.

But Kim got the results and proved that he was right.

Experts say that his efforts to change the party and consistent emphasis on the need to judge the government for its botched economic policies were an important factor in the MPK’s victory.

“The MPK changed its leader for the election and tried to stress a comprehensive long-term growth policy as its economy strategy,” said Lee Joon-han, a professor of political science at Incheon University. “These efforts successfully gained public support.”

Losses in Jeolla region

But Kim also needs to resolve some difficult tasks on hand in order to tighten and maintain grip on power, given that the election also left a fly in the ointment of the MPK ― it completely lost its popularity in the liberal party’s traditional stronghold of North and South Jeolla provinces and Gwangju (known colloquially as Honam) to the People’s Party, co-led by Ahn Cheol-soo and Chun Jung-bae.

The MPK only secured three seats out of 28 up for grabs in the region.

“Our crushing defeat in Honam was what we deserved because we disappointed voters there,” Kim said. “We understand and accept the sentiment in Honam. We will make strenuous efforts from now on.”

Kim will also have to handle a potential factional dispute within the MPK between those who follow the legacy of the late President Roh Moo-hyun and others, which is expected to reignite ahead of the presidential election.

Former party Chairman Moon Jae-in is regarded as leader of the pro-Roh faction ― he served as chief of staff under the Roh administration. Kim represents the new face of the party.

Kim will also have to push for cooperation and possibly an alliance with the People’s Party that won 38 seats in order to guide the opposition bloc to a majority of seats in the National Assembly as well as fielding a unified opposition candidate for the presidential election.

This will be a tricky mission, considering that Kim severely fell out with Ahn during the election campaign after his request for an opposition alliance was rejected.

Kim was handed full leadership authority of the MPK by Moon, Jan. 27, with the mission to recover the party’s falling popularity ahead of the general election.

Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye