Park ally defeated in election for Saenuri Party floor leader

Economist-turned-lawmaker Rep. Yoo Seong-min won the primary vote for Saenuri Party floor leader on Monday, defeating former Maritime Minister Rep. Lee Joo-young with about 56 percent of the vote.

Yoo’s victory appears to be an unofficial no-confidence vote for President Park Geun-hye from her governing Saenuri Party, as he is expected to take a critical approach to the president’s policies.

Park’s approval ratings have continued to dip on the heels of alleged scandals in the presidential office and public uproar over increased taxes in this year’s settlements, stirring fear among Saenuri lawmakers looking to run in the 2016 parliamentary elections.

Realmeter reported on Monday that President Park’s approval rating hit 32.2 percent, the lowest weekly figure recorded by the pollster since her inauguration.

Yoo, a third-term lawmaker, told Saenuri lawmakers he would support government policies “that have the support of our people,” sparking speculation among observers that he would support Park’s policies if her approval ratings rose as the 2016 elections near.

Before entering politics, Yoo worked at the Korea Development Institute, a government-run think tank focusing on economic issues.

Yoo’s running mate Rep. Won Yoo-chul will serve as the party’s Chairperson of the Policy Committee, the top policy adviser to the floor leader.

The primary has been seen as a contest between pro-Park Lee and the reportedly anti-Park Yoo.

Lee and his running mate Rep. Hong Moon-jong have openly expressed their support for the president. Hong has claimed he would become Park’s “cheerleader” if elected. Lee has echoed one of Park’s campaign pledges from the 2012 presidential race, “welfare without taxation.”

Their rivals Yoo and Won were seen as the anti-Park candidates in the floor leader primary, although Yoo has publicly contested the label.

“I am neither a pro-Park nor an anti-Park figure,” Yoo said before the vote. “I will strictly follow what our citizenry demands.”

Yoo was close to Park when he served as Park’s chief of staff, and as a key adviser to her during the 2007 Saenuri Party presidential primary.

But rifts between Yoo and Park have steadily widened since the 2012 parliamentary elections, when Yoo protested what he called “Park’s closed-ear policy.” He is also reported to have declared “never to work with Park.”

Park was the Saenuri Party’s interim chair at the time.

A majority of the 158 Saenuri Party lawmakers participated in Monday’s vote with 84 casting ballots for Yoo, 65 for Lee and nine abstaining. Party chair Rep. Kim Moo-sung and Prime Minister nominee Rep. Lee Wan-koo abstained.

Park’s ratings have declined amid fierce public uproar over the so-called Chung Yoon-hoi scandal and increased taxes caused by government reforms to related laws in 2013.

Citing leaked presidential office papers, a local daily accused Chung, a former Park aide, of having used ties to incumbent Cheong Wa Dae staff to exert pressure on some Cabinet members to resign.

Prosecutors have claimed the allegations are false, though public suspicion lingers.

Government changes to tax laws in 2013 forced taxpayers to forego much of their rebates or pay more in this year’s tax settlements, touching off calls of protest among the local media and taxpayers.

By Jeong Hunny()