ID :
209396
Mon, 09/26/2011 - 11:02
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/209396
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Na picked as ruling party's candidate for Seoul mayor
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Na Kyung-won on Monday became the sole candidate of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) for Seoul mayor with the by-election in October, widely seen as a litmus test on public sentiment ahead of next year's major elections.
The 48-year-old photogenic politician has been considered the front-runner in the conservative bloc with high approval ratings ahead of other candidates within her party, including Rep. Kim Choong-hwan, who announced a mayoral bid for the second time in a row.
On Monday, Na effectively became the GNP's only contender in the Oct. 26 by-election, as Kim dropped his bid after failing to drag up his lackluster support ahead of a party contest slated for later this week.
The GNP is now set to officially confirm Na as the party's candidate in party meetings later this week, spokesman Kim Ki-hyun said, a step widely viewed as a formality.
It is the second time for the GNP to pick a candidate for Seoul mayor without a party contest since the direct election system was adopted in 1995.
Na, a two-term female lawmaker, had served as the party's spokesperson and has been elected twice to the GNP's four-member Supreme Council, a top decision-making body composed of predominately male legislators, partly due to her popularity with her urbane public image.
Rivals have often undermined Na, who formerly served as a judge, by regarding her as a "stylist politician" without enough experience in administrative affairs and signature policies. She is also under attack by opposition parties for supporting ex-mayor Oh Se-hoon, who stepped down after failing to block an opposition-led free lunch program in the city's first-ever referendum in late August.
Meanwhile, opposition parties are gearing up to field a unified contender from the liberal bloc.
Potential opposition candidates have been boiled down to two -- Rep. Park Young-sun of the main opposition Democratic Party, who was chosen in a party contest Sunday, and Park Won-soon, an independent candidate and the current front-runner.
The final contender in the liberal bloc will be chosen in a preliminary poll on Oct. 3.
SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Na Kyung-won on Monday became the sole candidate of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) for Seoul mayor with the by-election in October, widely seen as a litmus test on public sentiment ahead of next year's major elections.
The 48-year-old photogenic politician has been considered the front-runner in the conservative bloc with high approval ratings ahead of other candidates within her party, including Rep. Kim Choong-hwan, who announced a mayoral bid for the second time in a row.
On Monday, Na effectively became the GNP's only contender in the Oct. 26 by-election, as Kim dropped his bid after failing to drag up his lackluster support ahead of a party contest slated for later this week.
The GNP is now set to officially confirm Na as the party's candidate in party meetings later this week, spokesman Kim Ki-hyun said, a step widely viewed as a formality.
It is the second time for the GNP to pick a candidate for Seoul mayor without a party contest since the direct election system was adopted in 1995.
Na, a two-term female lawmaker, had served as the party's spokesperson and has been elected twice to the GNP's four-member Supreme Council, a top decision-making body composed of predominately male legislators, partly due to her popularity with her urbane public image.
Rivals have often undermined Na, who formerly served as a judge, by regarding her as a "stylist politician" without enough experience in administrative affairs and signature policies. She is also under attack by opposition parties for supporting ex-mayor Oh Se-hoon, who stepped down after failing to block an opposition-led free lunch program in the city's first-ever referendum in late August.
Meanwhile, opposition parties are gearing up to field a unified contender from the liberal bloc.
Potential opposition candidates have been boiled down to two -- Rep. Park Young-sun of the main opposition Democratic Party, who was chosen in a party contest Sunday, and Park Won-soon, an independent candidate and the current front-runner.
The final contender in the liberal bloc will be chosen in a preliminary poll on Oct. 3.
