The ruling and opposition parties are gearing up for by-elections scheduled for late next month to fill three vacant parliamentary seats.
The upcoming elections will choose new legislators to represent three constituencies in Seoul, Gwangju and Gyeonggi Province.
Parties have already entered campaign mode as the election results are likely to set a clear direction for them as they prepare for the general election in April next year.
The Saenuri Party is expected to view the election next month as a barometer of public sentiment toward itself and President Park Geun-hye.
The April 29 elections are also crucial for the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, as they are the first since Rep. Moon Jae-in took the chairmanship of the party in February, they added.
The Saenuri Party has nominated former Rep. Shin Sang-jin and party official Oh Shin-hwan as its candidates for the Jungwon constituency in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and the Gwanak-B constituency in Seoul.
Jung Tae-ho, a spokesman for President Roh Moo-hyun in 2006, will represent the NPAD in Gwanak-B, while former Rep. Cho Young-teck will be the main opposition party’s candidate in Jungwon.
The opposition party, however, is struggling to nominate a candidate for the Seogu-B constituency in Gwangju ― a traditional stronghold for the NPAD ― as former justice minister Chun Jung-bae has declared his bid to run there.
Chun, a former senior NPAD adviser, said he would run as an independent candidate. He left the party early this month.
Chung Seung, a former minister of food and drug safety, appears to be the ruling party’s choice for the Gwangju election, observers said.
By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)
