The nomination landscape for the People Power Party's June 3rd National Assembly by-elections has entered a new phase with the full-fledged entry of key figures from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

Former Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk has declared his candidacy for the by-election in Gongju, Buyeo, and Cheongyang, Chungnam Province. Former Korea Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook has applied for nomination in Dalseong County, Daegu. Former lawmaker Lee Yong has applied for Hanam Gap, Gyeonggi Province, and former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik has applied for Buk District A, Busan.

While their nominations are not yet confirmed, the emergence of these four individuals raises a question within the People Power Party once again: Are the nomination criteria based on proximity to President Yoon Suk-yeol, or on the candidates' competitiveness in their respective regions?

The common label applied to them by the old media is "pro-Yoon."

However, this label goes beyond a simple factional classification. It also functions as a frame that binds figures close to the Yoon Suk-yeol administration as a political burden and defines their candidacy itself as a risk factor for the People Power Party.

The problem arises when this frame becomes the starting point for nomination screening. This is because the candidates' regional bases and their competitiveness in the general election could be pushed aside, and the degree of distance from President Yoon could effectively become the screening criterion.

Of course, there is no guarantee that all of them will become People Power Party candidates. There could be primary elections, or they might be recommended as single candidates or nominated strategically.

However, when looking solely at their competitiveness in the districts they are targeting, these are individuals who cannot be easily dismissed.

It is not appropriate to exclude them based solely on the political label of "pro-Yoon," as each possesses significant regional bases, public recognition, and symbolic value. What the People Power Party should consider is not whether they are "pro-Yoon" themselves, but whether they can compete in their respective regions even with that label.

Chung Jin-suk, Who Rejected "Pro-Yoon" Purge with Loyalty

Chung Jin-suk's candidacy for Gongju, Buyeo, and Cheongyang cannot be seen merely as the return of a pro-Yoon figure.

This region is Chung's political stronghold. He is a five-term veteran who has been elected four times in this district. Although he narrowly lost to Democratic Party lawmaker Park Soo-hyun in the 2024 general election, the margin of defeat was not large. It was closer to a close contest defeat within a long-term rivalry rather than a collapse of his regional base.

The assessment is that Chung's statement, implying that "humanistic 'pro-Yoon' purging should not be forced," is not unrelated to this regional sentiment.

While "pro-Yoon cleansing" or "maintaining distance" may resonate in the language of national politics, the language of regional politics is different. To local voters who have watched a politician for a long time, politics is not just about responsibility, but also about relationships, loyalty, and human trust.

To evaluate Chung Jin-suk's competitiveness, this aspect must be considered together.

Lee Jin-sook: A Visit to the Heart of Conservatism, "Why is Martial Law Rebellion?"

Lee Jin-sook's application for nomination in Dalseong County, Daegu, also cannot be easily dismissed as a simple career change.

After being excluded from the People Power Party's nomination for Daegu mayor, Lee had briefly considered running as an independent but ultimately gave up her bid for Daegu mayor. Subsequently, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk suggested her running in the by-election, and Lee stated that she was also asked to fight alongside him in the National Assembly.

From this flow alone, her candidacy for the Dalseong by-election appears to be more than a personal choice, carrying the nature of party coordination.

Dalseong County is the district where the by-election is being held because incumbent lawmaker Chu Kyung-ho resigned his seat to run for Daegu mayor. With Chu running for Daegu mayor, it is difficult for him to ignore the by-election in Dalseong, his political base.

Furthermore, Dalseong is considered a representative region within Daegu with a strong conservative base. Lee's move strongly resembles a strategic adjustment to resolve the internal conflicts over the Daegu mayoral nomination and to reconsolidate conservative votes for the Dalseong by-election.

Lee Yong, Who Endured Hardship as Yoon's Campaign Manager, Is the Right Candidate Against Outsider Lee Kwang-jae

Lee Yong's application for nomination in Hanam Gap, Gyeonggi Province, also cannot be explained solely by his background as President Yoon Suk-yeol's campaign manager.

In the 22nd general election in 2024, Lee ran against then-Democratic Party candidate Choo Mi-ae and narrowly lost by 1,200 votes. The vote share was also very close, 50.6% to 49.4%.

Hanam Gap is a district where the People Power Party can once again compete, and Lee is a candidate who has already proven his competitiveness in the general election with his numbers.

Moreover, Lee has reportedly dedicated considerable effort to the local area as the head of the Hanam Gap party chapter since then. With the Democratic Party strategically nominating former Gangwon Province Governor Lee Kwang-jae, the People Power Party also needs a candidate who knows the region and has built an organization there.

When evaluating Lee Yong, the key criterion is not whether he is pro-Yoon, but his experience in the close contest of the previous general election and his subsequent accumulation of local activities. His competitiveness in Hanam Gap is significant and cannot be dismissed simply by a label from national politics.

Park Min-shik, The Prodigal Son Returns to Buk District A, The Right Candidate for a Three-Way Race

Former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik is a two-term lawmaker who previously served as a member of the National Assembly in the 18th and 19th terms for the former constituency of Buk District A, Busan, which was Buk District and Gangseo District A, Busan.

Buk District A is not a district that the People Power Party can easily win, even in Busan. In the 2024 general election, Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Jae-soo successfully secured his third term by defeating former People Power Party lawmaker Seo Byung-soo. The Democratic Party's strength in Buk District A is considerable, as it is a key region that the Democratic Party managed to retain in Busan at that time.

Furthermore, the situation has become more complicated with former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon running as an independent.

On the surface, there are significant concerns about the division of conservative votes. However, it is difficult to conclude that former leader Han will only erode the People Power Party's supporter base. It is possible that the independent candidacy of Han Dong-hoon could absorb centrist and undecided voters, thereby reducing the expansion space for the Democratic Party candidate.

In this scenario, what Park needs is not simply his factional color, but his regional competitiveness and symbolic influence to withstand being the party's official candidate in a three-way race.

Park is an individual who possesses ministerial experience, conservative identity, local ties, and public recognition.

Given the difficulty of finding a People Power Party candidate who can simultaneously face former leader Han Dong-hoon and the Democratic Party candidate in Buk District A, Busan, Park is also a candidate who cannot be pushed aside by a simple "pro-Yoon exclusion" argument.

One Question: What Are the People Power Party's Nomination Criteria?

Ultimately, the emergence of these four individuals converges into one question.

Are the People Power Party's nomination criteria based on "how far are they from President Yoon Suk-yeol," or on "who is competitive in their respective regions?"

Former Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk is a candidate suited for the Chungcheong region's stronghold. Former Korea Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook is a candidate for consolidating conservative support in Daegu. Former lawmaker Lee Yong is a candidate for a rematch in Hanam Gap, and former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-shik is a candidate to counter a three-way race in Buk District A, Busan.

This does not mean that all of them should be nominated. Nominations should be decided by considering public opinion, local organization, the general election structure, and overall party strategy.

However, blocking the verification of candidate competitiveness with a single word like "pro-Yoon" is not an election strategy but rather an acceptance of a pre-made frame.

What the People Power Party should avoid in these by-elections is not pro-Yoon figures. It is politics that eliminates competitive candidates from within a frame created by others.