This is the fifth in a series introducing the key inter-party battle fields in the upcoming April 11 general elections. -- Ed.


The electoral battle in southern Seoul’s Gangnam district is heating up over the disputed Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.

The main opposition Democratic United Party earlier nominated senior advisor Rep. Chung Dong-young as its candidate for the Gangnam-B constituency.

The third-term lawmaker, who played a leading role in the left-wing bloc’s moves against the FTA, is to compete with ruling Saenuri Party candidate Kim Jong-hoon, the government’s chief negotiator for the deal.

The DUP’s nomination is regarded as an audacious move by observers as Gangnam has long been a stronghold for the conservatives.

In previous elections, the opposition camp has either not fielded a candidate in the constituency or nominated a minor figure to minimize the damage of a loss.

However, this time, the DUP has put much at stake in the constituency by dispatching one of its presidential hopefuls on the campaign trail.

A win by Chung over Kim would help the DUP gain an edge against the ruling party and current government, giving it momentum for the presidential race in December.

“The people have turned their backs on the Lee Myung-bak administration and we shall prove it, by changing the political flow in Gangnam,” the DUP candidate said.

Chung met voters without wearing the liberal party’s symbolic yellow campaign jacket, in what was seen as a move to avoid stirring local residents’ long-standing antipathy for liberal parties.

“I will also act as a communication bridge between the local community and the liberal metropolitan government, especially over key issues such as redevelopment and education,” he said.

Kim, on the other hand, meet with voters after his candidacy was only recently confirmed amid the party’s internal conflict over nominations.

Although a novice in the political field, Kim was largely recognized for his high-profile role in the FTA negotiations.

The right-wing candidate, unlike his liberal rival, emphasized his ties with the ruling party by wearing the party’s red jacket at most of his stops.

“I have so far played a role for the macroscopic economic development of our country,” Kim said.

“As a regional representative, I shall now look into the residents’ detailed demands for development and welfare.”

Gangnam, despite its general image as a well-off neighborhood, is actually a complex area which displays the polarization of wealth, he added.

“Many underprivileged residents have been left in a blind spot and thus excluded from welfare benefits,” he said.

“Both development and distribution are crucial in achieving economic democratization here.”

Kim also criticized Chung for his demand for a renegotiation or scrapping of the U.S. FTA.

“We should rather focus on devising practical policies and realizing them, instead of clinging to the annulment of a deal which has already taken effect,” he said.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)