The referee manages the players. A controversy over "private nomination" has erupted in Michuhol District, Incheon, where the Democratic Party had promised "fair primaries." The problem stems from members of the nomination screening committee and the chair of the re-examination committee also serving as regional committee chairs.
The fallout is significant because this occurred while the Jeong Cheong-rae leadership had promoted a "system nomination" approach and promised "fair primaries without unjust cutoffs."
◆ Nomination committee member and re-examination chair serving as regional committee chairs... Structural conflict of interest
According to Seoul Economic Daily's reporting compiled on the 21st, the core issue of the Michuhol District nomination controversy is a structural conflict of interest. Rep. Heo Jong-sik, who serves as the Dong-gu Michuhol-gu A district committee chair, is a member of the Incheon City Party's nomination screening committee, while Chair Nam Young-hee, the B district committee chair, serves as chair of the re-examination committee. Both the referee who decides nominations and the referee who reviews appeals are the responsible officials for the respective regions.
One candidate who participated in the Michuhol District head primary told this newspaper in a phone call, "Because they are nomination committee members and the re-examination chair, this was an area that needed to be even more fair," and criticized, "Instead, it became even more turbulent." He lamented, "The system is too complex and not transparent. There was no evaluation criteria sheet for the nomination committee selection. We don't know by what criteria they scored."
This candidate pointed out, "Since the outside screening committee members don't know what activities the party members have done, wouldn't the regional committee chairs have commented? Such things could have more influence." He said, "There seem to be cases where people who are hard to understand make it onto the primary, and people who should make it don't."
◆ District head candidate also eliminated → "Reversed" in re-examination
Former Michuhol District Head Kim Jung-sik, who was selected as this district head candidate, is also at the center of the controversy. Former District Head Kim was initially classified as subject to detailed review by the Preliminary Candidate Qualification Screening Committee, but received a qualified rating in the central party's re-examination and was selected as the final candidate. Since former District Head Kim, who has had friction with the regional committee chair, received the final qualified rating even through the central party, suspicions are being raised among party members.
◆ Controversies lined up in city council primaries
In Michuhol District's 4th electoral district (Yonghyeon 5-dong, Hagik 1-dong, Gwangyo-dong, Munhak-dong), former Incheon City Councilor Cho Young-hong (6th term) did not even get a chance to participate in the primary. Former Councilor Cho, who had passed the party qualification screening and been active as a preliminary candidate, recently filed a request for re-examination with the Incheon City Party. Former Councilor Cho is a local native who attended Juan Elementary, Seonin Middle, Incheon High, and Incheon University, and currently serves as an academic research professor at Incheon University. He also served as a "referee" evaluating incumbent council members as a member of the Incheon YMCA City Council Legislative Activity Evaluation Committee.
Among party members, criticism is emerging that it is an "unacceptable private nomination." Suspicions have also been raised that the exclusion of a specific candidate was leaked in advance.
There was also friction in Michuhol District's 2nd electoral district (Juan 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-dong). When the Incheon City Party Nomination Management Committee gave preliminary candidate Kim Oh-hyun a single nomination on March 26, preliminary candidate Kim Ki-sik strongly protested. Preliminary candidate Kim Ki-sik is conducting a one-person protest in front of the central party and Incheon City Party, claiming that his opponent violated the "ban on nominating multiple home owners" regulation.
◆ Regional committee chairs' side: "We followed the rules"
Rep. Heo Jong-sik said, "Former Councilor Cho has no identity score because he has had no party activity for 10 years," adding, "His opinion poll score was also low, so there was no way to save him." Regarding candidate Kim Ki-sik, he explained, "He joined the party in July-August last year, so he has no contribution score." Regarding candidate Kim Oh-hyun's multiple homes controversy, he explained, "It was resolved four years ago. The Dorim-dong land is for a kindergarten experiential learning site, and the villa is for teachers' lodging."
Rep. Heo emphasized, "There is a party guideline to cut off if there is a 40-50 point difference from the 2nd and 3rd place candidates. The nomination committee cannot violate the principle."
Chair Nam Young-hee said of former Councilor Cho, "He has never once been involved in activities combined with the regional committee," adding, "Participation in impeachment rallies or party activities is included in the judgment criteria, and based on those criteria, I told him this opportunity would be difficult."
Chair Nam drew a line, saying, "The nomination committee conducts qualitative and quantitative evaluations, and all indicators are laid out. In that process, there is no structure where my influence could possibly operate." She added, "If it comes up for re-examination, I become subject to recusal, so I cannot convey any opinion."
