![Candidates running for the first civilian election of Seoul Mayor in 1995 shake hands before the KBS special conference. From the left, then the Democratic Party candidate Won-shik Won, the Democratic Party candidate Cho Soon, and the independent candidate Park Chan-jong. [중앙포토]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/12/8a5e75dc-1d2d-4c17-a23c-92ef5fae9400.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
Candidates running for the first civilian election of Seoul Mayor in 1995 shake hands before the KBS special conference. From the left, then the Democratic Party candidate Won-sik Won, the Democratic Party’s Cho Sun, and the independent candidate Park Chan-jong. [중앙포토]
Many people think of the first civilian election of the Mayor of Seoul in July 1995, which was held in a three-party district in the opposition ahead of the by-election of the mayor of Seoul in April. The representative person is Kim Jong-in, chairman of the People’s Strength Emergency Response Committee. Leading the first opposition party In an interview with a radio broadcaster on the 12th, he said, “I am confident of (win)” even if the election is held in a three-way structure as the unification with the National Assembly representative Ahn Chul-soo is broken.
Meanwhile, Chairman Kim gave the case of 1995. In the elections at the time, the ruling Democratic Liberal Party, former Prime Minister Won-shik, and the first opposition Democratic Party, Cho Soon, elected former Bank of Korea governor. In the third zone, independent lawyer Park Chan-jong jumped in. Chairman Kim said, “At the beginning, everyone thought Park Chan-jong was unconditional. (Everyone) Mr. Josoon said no,” he said, “I said. Don’t worry. Mr. Cho Soon said it will be this time.” As Chairman Kim predicted, the election at the time ended with the victory of former opposition candidate Cho.
However, one of the parties to the election at the time, attorney Park Chan-jong, refuted that “the situation at the time and the present is completely different.” Attorney Park said in a telephone interview with JoongAng Ilbo that morning, “The reason that Cho won the election at the time was because the DJ (former President Kim Dae-jung) and JP (former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil) were united.” “The 1995 case is not suitable for the opposition party to bring as a model for election victory. The current three-way road will unconditionally defeat the ruling party.”Pointed out.
The following is a question and answer with lawyer Park.
- Can the 1995 three-way model be applied in the upcoming 4/7 rehabilitation?
- “The three-way road that Chairman Kim Jong-in says is inevitable. Regardless of whether the party is unified with members of the party, such as former lawmaker Na Kyung-won or former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, or Ahn Cheol-soo as a candidate, anyway, we must unite in the opposition and propose a single candidate.”
- In 1995, local elections were held in a three-way structure, but Cho Soon, the candidate of the 1st opposition party, was elected.
- “It was not a fight between Chosun and me, but a fight between the DJP Alliance and me. DJ and JP thought that if I was elected mayor of Seoul, I would be their most influential competitor in the next presidential election. So before the election, the DJ sent Rep. Moon Hee-sang and the former Rep. Kim Yong-chae to me. I will drive you a golden carriage.’ When I rejected both proposals, they both took hands and beat me.”
- Even in this election, the opposition candidate may win in the three-way game.
- “The fact that Chairman Kim Jong-in is allowed to submit an independent candidate means that he believes in the rising political position map. But that’s ten thousand words. At that time, the synergy effect of the DJP alliance was reflected in candidate Cho Soon. In addition to Honam, Chungcheong-do tickets were also targeted. The DJP alliance had already started from that point, not the 1998 presidential election. Although the elections were held in a three-way structure, the opposition was not divided at the time, but had already united to push Chosun.”
- What do you see as Chairman Kim Jong-in’s intention to insist on so-called’self-hospitalism’?
- “Presumably, Lee’s lifelong philosophy is the two-won government system. If the opposition party wins the by-election, it will lead to an increase in approval ratings, and the possibility of the next regime change will be influential. Then, public opinion about the presidential straight system (maintaining) (rather than the two-won government system that Chairman Kim hopes for) may grow in the opposition. In that respect, maybe Chairman Kim doesn’t think that this by-election victory is necessarily in his favor.”
Reporter Kijeong Kim [email protected]