Daegu should abandon the People Power Party
Kim Bu-gyeom throws down the gauntlet in the 'heart of conservatism'
Conflict with Joo Ho-young over the 'cutoff' continues
No candidate will find the race easy
A heavyweight politician, former Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom, has entered the Daegu mayoral race, a move analysts say has shaken the region’s electoral dynamics. Observers view his bid as taking advantage of internal turmoil within the People Power Party that has opened an opportunity for the Democratic Party. At the same time, disputes over candidate cutoffs are deepening divisions inside the People Power Party and raising alarm among its ranks.
At a press conference at the National Assembly on the morning of the 30th, Kim declared, "For the sake of conservatism, we must crack the whip this time. Daegu should lead the way in abandoning the People Power Party," framing his run as a direct challenge to the city's conservative identity.
Kim said he would have been ashamed to step aside. "The responsibility I must bear ultimately lies with Daegu," he said, calling the overcoming of regionalism and the pursuit of balanced regional development his final mission.
He repeatedly faulted the People Power Party for Daegu's stagnation, accusing it of monopolizing local power for decades and neglecting regional development. "They treat Daegu citizens like vote-producing machines," he said, adding that little has changed.
Kim's formal entry has unsettled the People Power Party both internally and externally. Still, tensions with Rep. Joo Ho-young—who was excluded from the party's nomination—persisted.
On KBS Radio's Jeon-gyeok Sisa, Joo directly criticized Party Election Committee Chair Lee Jeong-hyun and Representative Jang Dong-hyuk, arguing that a primary should produce competitive candidates. "Cutting competitive candidates while saying tolerating the rest is winning—that's unacceptable," he said, accusing party leaders of mishandling the process and then asking for patience because they cannot fix it.
He added, "Today Kim Bu-gyeom announced bids in Seoul and Daegu, and several polls show him ahead. The People Power Party is infringing on Daegu citizens' sovereignty and party members' rights, and it's running a losing campaign in the local elections."
Party leaders repeatedly urged Joo to put the party first. At a press conference at the Daegu city party office, Daegu City Party Chair Lee In-seon said, "We fully empathize with the hurt and disappointment, but we ask that you act with a party-first mindset."
Lee warned that some figures rooted in the People Power Party might run as independents and harm the party's prospects. "As Daegu city party chair, I'm working with Daegu lawmakers to prevent votes from splintering through independent runs. We'll pool our wisdom and persuade everyone to move forward as one team," he said.
He criticized the central party for failing to manage the post-cutoff moves of the two excluded candidates and said the party would reach out to senior figures in the candidates' camps to persuade them to bring the party back together.
Lee also asked the central leadership to actively cooperate with the Daegu city party so the mayoral campaign can help restore Daegu's political identity and civic pride.
"Citizens have been very angry about the central party's top-down impositions," Lee said, adding that he had secured a promise from Representative Jang to stop imposing candidates from above and allow local leaders greater say.
Despite the entrance of a high-profile challenger, the People Power Party's failure to steady itself has prompted analysts to warn that the Daegu mayoral race—long a conservative stronghold—may no longer be a safe bet for the party.
A People Power Party lawmaker from Daegu said the messy nomination process could affect the mayoral contest. He also noted that Kim might face skepticism locally because, he argued, Kim did not meaningfully contribute to Daegu during his tenure and has been seen as distancing himself from the city.
Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, pointed out that recent polls show the People Power Party and the Democratic Party running neck-and-neck in Daegu and North Gyeongsang (TK). "If that's the case, it can no longer be considered a firm stronghold," he said, adding that "no matter who the candidate is, it will be difficult for the People Power Party to beat the Democratic Party."
He added that, paradoxically, the People Power Party has undermined conservatism by becoming insular and out of step with public opinion.
Observers say the party should promptly form a campaign committee capable of softening the hardline image associated with Representative Jang Dong-hyuk.
Eom Kyung-young, director of the Sidae Spirit Research Institute, called the slipping TK support in polls a warning to the People Power Party—a plea to improve. He suggested the party's immediate options include assembling a campaign committee without Jang's imprint, recruiting Yoo Seung-min for the Gyeonggi governor race, and resolving nomination disputes.
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