The Chosun Ilbo reports that both of the leading parties are looking to replace their incumbents with younger blood in their respective regional bases.
Because the seats in those regions (Honam for the United New Democratic Party and Yeongnam for the Grand National Party) are pretty safe, they are highly coveted by politicians looking for a guaranteed spot in the National Assembly (for those folks who live in proportional representative systems, it is like being place high up on the party nominee list).
(I am not 100% sure on this, but some things I have read here and there indicate that residency requirements are pretty weak.)
As you might expect, the folks who get the nomination in those areas include a few folks who have some influence within their parties but who might not be able to win in a competitive race. Well, the folks in those areas seem to be tired of getting the parties’ dregs:
In the Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang regions, 54.2 percent of residents (Hangil Research) wanted new lawmakers, as did 71.8 percent of residents in North Jeolla Province (RealMeter).
This issue as caused some friction in the GNP between the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye factions, especially since Park’s base of support in the party is centered in Yeongnam. The two have mended fences over the issue but tension could rise again as we get closer to the nomination period.
The plan to replace incumbents in the UNDP could complicate ongoing merger negotiations with the Democratic Party. The DP will want to have a disproportionate (based on the current size of the parties) number of its members getting nominations in Honam. If UNDP chair Sohn Hak-kyu caves to their demands in order to get the merger to go through and they still take a beating in the April elections, the “DP faction” might end up with a majority of the party’s seats in the National Assembly.
In any case, while folks in Yeongnam and Honam might not be happy with their incumbents, they still have some power in their districts and in the party, so I don’t expect too many of them to get the ax. Those that do get cut will likely seek a the nomination of one the other parties running this April, which could make for some surprisingly competitive races.
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Maybe in the beginning, you’ll see some cosmetic surgery. In the end, the mandarins will return to reclaim their kingdoms. At the very least, they’ll pull all the strings behind closed doors to whatever bobblehead they have allowed to take their place. So, don’t expect much.
Cases in point: DJ and Kim Jong Pil.
These guys teach courses to cockroaches how to survive. When YS became pres, everybody thought DJ would retire…he sure did…not. JP wanted a government simlar to the UK…because he was Prime Minister. DJ was too smart for that. He gave KJI 500 mil instead. I love JP. Maybe one of the best chess players, yet.
I know these are not perfect examples, but they do reflect some of the tenacity and chutzpah these men…and women..have.