The Reform Party has repeatedly asked floor leader Cheon Ha-ram to run in a Southern Gyeonggi constituency.
Floor leader Cheon cited Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, as his political base and requested a reconsideration of his application to become the organizational chair of Suncheon-gap.
This issue, in which the party’s strategy conflicts with an individual politician’s local base, should be distinguished from the actual confirmation of a constituency in which he will run.
3-line summary
1. Cheon Ha-ram expressed his intention to run in Suncheon.
2. The party asked him to run in Southern Gyeonggi.
3. It is not yet known whether his constituency has been finalized.
The Call to Run in Southern Gyeonggi Continued on September 23
Lee Gi-in, interim leader of the Reform Party, again asked floor leader Cheon Ha-ram to respond to the request to run in Southern Gyeonggi at the first interim leadership meeting held at the National Assembly on September 23. The Reform Party designated Southern Gyeonggi as a strategic hub and also announced plans to secure capable candidates to run in constituencies early for the next general election.
Lee said that Cheon’s activities in the Suncheon area and his achievements in expanding the organization would be assessed by the Special Committee for Organizational Strengthening. He also stated that measures could be taken under the party constitution and regulations depending on the outcome. However, this was an announcement concerning the interim leader’s request and the possibility of future measures; it did not mean that Cheon’s constituency had been decided.
The Reform Party also presented a plan to align its personnel, budget, and policy capabilities with the goal of securing 10 seats in the next National Assembly. This goal is likewise a plan presented by the party, not an election result.
Cheon Ha-ram’s Position on Suncheon as His Political Base
On September 17, floor leader Cheon asked the party to reconsider its plan to reject his application to become the organizational chair of Suncheon-gap. He said that he ran in Suncheon-gap when he entered politics in 2020, and that Suncheon alone had been his political base for 6 years since his first run.
He expressed his desire to receive the direct choice of Suncheon’s residents in the next general election. Floor leader Cheon’s assessment is that not only Southern Gyeonggi but also South Jeolla Province could become a base of support for the Reform Party. Accordingly, the core of this conflict is not simply a matter of choosing one region, but of deciding which to prioritize: the strategic hubs on which the party will focus or the local base where a politician has worked for many years.
Lee Ju-young Applies in Suwon-jeong; Cheon Ha-ram Requests Reconsideration
Assembly member Lee Ju-young, who received the same request, expressed his intention to apply for the position of organizational chair of Suwon-jeong in Gyeonggi Province on September 22. Lee explained that his decision to run in Suwon was not a choice made under pressure, but a choice in which his capabilities and the city’s potential converge.
In contrast, floor leader Cheon is asking for reconsideration of the rejection of his Suncheon-gap application. As the two lawmakers have responded differently, the Reform Party’s strategy of focusing on Southern Gyeonggi leaves the question of internal coordination over Cheon’s election plans as an important task.
References
Tags #CheonHa-ram #ReformParty #LeeGi-in #SouthernGyeonggi #Suncheon #Suncheon-gap #ConstituencyElection #GeneralElection #InterimLeadershipCommittee #OrganizationalChair #LeeJu-young #Suwon-jeong