South Korea ruling party lawmaker warns of independent bid over Daegu mayoral primary

A South Korean lawmaker from Daegu, Ju Ho-yeong of the ruling People Power Party, held an emergency press conference on March 20 to press for a fair, open primary process for the Daegu mayoral race. He warned that if the party’s planned “mid-career cutoff” for candidates becomes a reality, he may consider running as an independent after leaving the party.

Ju criticized the idea that the nomination could be decided by individuals rather than the voters, saying that the final decision rests with Daegu’s citizens. He tied his comments to earlier remarks by party leader Jang Dong-hyuk, who pledged to ensure a fair primary process.

The lawmaker signaled he would reassess his own position depending on the party leadership’s actions, saying he would “watch the promise” and that if the leader’s commitment weakens or if the fair-priority principle erodes, he would not stay silent.

He reminded listeners of Daegu’s history, noting that since local self-government began in 1995 the city has consistently held fair primaries. Ju argued that talk of a “strategic nomination” in Daegu is a disservice to local voters who expect a bottom-up process.

Ju warned that increasing noise around the nomination could damage the election odds. He cited the possibility that former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum of the Democratic Party could contest Daegu, and he pointed to polls suggesting the two major parties’ support had declined, signaling a volatile race.

The lawmaker contended that losing Daegu would amount to a broader loss for the conservative base and its roots. He called on central party leadership not to redraw Daegu’s politics from afar and to respect the city’s electorate.

Context for U.S. readers: Daegu is a major southeastern city in South Korea with significant manufacturing and technology activity. The outcome of its mayoral race could influence local economic policy, investment climate, and regional supply chains that involve multinational firms, including American companies. The dispute reflects broader forces shaping Korea’s domestic politics, which can affect policy directions on governance, security posture, and the handling of local elections that feed into national stability and alliance commitments with the United States.