Choi Ho-kwon, a preliminary candidate for Yeongdeungpo District mayor from the People Power Party (PPP), expressed strong objection on the 7th to the party's Seoul chapter nomination management committee's decision to exclude him from the nomination, calling it "a self-inflicted act that undermines the party's competitiveness in the general election."
Choi's camp immediately filed an appeal and is conducting a residents' signature campaign demanding a "fair primary."
The Democratic Party of Korea has currently designated Yeongdeungpo District as a "strategic constituency" and is seeking to recruit outside figures. Choi's camp criticized the PPP's decision to cut off the incumbent district mayor, calling it a losing move. "Even the Democratic Party is wary of and preparing against the incumbent premium, so it defies common sense for our own party to exclude the incumbent," Choi said.
Choi's camp views the decision as a political measure driven by "undue pressure from the local party chapter chairman." He was officially announced as a primary candidate on the 23rd of last month, but the nomination committee reversed its position after the chapter chairman mentioned boycotting the local elections, according to his camp. "The 'party member council evaluation' and 'local reputation' cited by the nomination committee are nothing more than pretexts to justify the decision," Choi's camp argued, adding, "Excluding an incumbent district mayor who enjoys strong support from residents is an act of abandoning victory in the local elections."
Choi's camp is currently conducting an online and offline signature campaign calling for a "fair primary" and demanding that the nomination committee withdraw its decision. "The Democratic Party is waging an all-out effort with strategic nominations, and our party must not lose its competitiveness in the general election over controversies about privately arranged nominations," Choi said. "We will file an appeal with the central party's nomination committee to correct this wrong decision and restore the right of residents and party members to choose."