Lead

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has nominated Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja as its candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province in the June 3 local elections, according to two reports from the Yonhap wire service. The party's nomination committee announced the result of a primary held from Thursday to Friday, and with that selection the PPP has completed its candidates for all 16 major provincial and metropolitan mayoral races nationwide, Yonhap reported.

The Gyeonggi nomination follows an earlier decision by the same party, reported by Yonhap on April 26, to field three-term lawmaker Rep. Choo Kyung-ho in the race for mayor of Daegu, a city described in that dispatch as a longstanding conservative stronghold.

Coverage

The two elements of this story come from a single wire service, Yonhap: an April 26 report on the Daegu nomination and a May 2 report on the Gyeonggi nomination. Both attribute the selections to the party's nomination committee and present them as the outcomes of party primaries. The accounts are consistent and do not conflict.

The Gyeonggi contest

Yonhap's May 2 report describes Yang Hyang-ja as widely known for rising to an executive position at Samsung Electronics in 2014 after joining the company as a vocational high school graduate without a college degree in 1985. Her political career began in 2016, when she was recruited by former President Moon Jae-in, then leader of the Democratic Party (DP), and she was elected to the National Assembly in 2020.

In the upcoming election, Yang will compete against DP Rep. Choo Mi-ae, a six-term lawmaker who served as justice minister under the Moon administration, to secure the governorship of Gyeonggi Province, which has a population of about 14 million people, according to Yonhap. The wire service also reported that attention is on whether Yang will unify her candidacy with the minor New Reform Party candidate, Cho Eung-chon.

Yonhap notes in its report that if either Yang or Choo wins the election, that candidate would become the first female governor of a metropolitan government.

The Daegu race

In its April 26 dispatch, Yonhap reported that the PPP's nomination committee had selected Rep. Choo Kyung-ho as its candidate for mayor of Daegu. Choo, who served as former finance minister and party floor leader, defeated Rep. Yoo Yeon-ha in a party primary to run for mayor in the southern city, long regarded as an unwavering bastion for the conservative bloc.

Choo will face former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, the nominee of the ruling Democratic Party, Yonhap reported in the April 26 dispatch.

Key claims

  • Yang Hyangi-ja's nomination: The PPP's nomination committee announced Yang Hyangi-ja as the party's candidate for Gyeonggi governor on May 2, following a primary held May 1 to May 2 (as reported by Yonhap).
  • Yang's background and rival: Yang will compete against Democratic Party Rep. Choo Mi-ae, a six-term lawmaker and former justice minister, for a province of about 14 million people (as reported by Yonhap).
  • Choo Kyung-so's primary win: Choo Kyung-so defeated Rep. Yoo Yeon-ha in a party primary to become the PPP's Daegu mayoral candidate (as reported by Yonhap).
  • Daegu general election matchup: Choo Kyung-so will face former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, the Democratic Party nominee, in the June 3 election (as reported by Yonhap).
  • Possible historic first: If either Yang or Choo wins, either would become the first female governor of a metropolitan government, according to Yonhap.
  • Complete candidate slate: With Yang's nomination, the PPP has completed its slate for all 16 major provincial and metropolitan mayoral races (as reported by Yonhap).