Won Hee-ryong: "I Want to Compete as Our Team's Representative... I Will Win with the 'Won Hee-ryong Model'"

De Facto Presidential Candidacy Declaration... Commitment to Centrist-Conservative Unity

Jeon Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju Province, is attending and giving a lecture at the 8th regular seminar of "Towards a Better World" held on the 15th at Mapo Hyundai Building in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Lim Chun-han] Won Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju Province and a leading opposition presidential candidate, made a de facto presidential bid declaration at 'The Better World' (Mapo Forum), an external group of the People Power Party, saying, "I want to represent our team as a player." He emphasized the 'one team' spirit, vowing to win with the 'Won Hee-ryong model' that unites moderate conservatives.

On the afternoon of the 15th, at a lecture held at the Mapo Hyundai Building during the 'Mapo Forum,' Governor Won said, "I am free from unfavorable frames, and there is nothing for opponents to grab on me regarding past issues, morality, or offensive remarks."

He added, "I have run in five elections as a member of the National Assembly and governor combined, and as long as the party nominates me, I have never lost to the Democratic Party," emphasizing, "I know how to win. I am confident." This effectively formalized his presidential challenge.

Governor Won stated, "There is a story. I am confident I won't be outmatched by narratives like 'dirt spoon' or 'rising from the gutter.' Regarding democratization movements, I am not at all behind the Democratic Party candidates currently being discussed," and stressed, "Being from Jeju Province, I am confident I can embrace Jeolla, Gyeongsang, and Chungcheong provinces as one big unit."

He also highlighted his competence by referring to a 100-minute debate with Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province and a ruling party presidential candidate. He said, "I had a 100-minute head-to-head debate with Governor Lee on basic income. Although the ruling party held consecutive announcements by metropolitan governors at the Blue House, even in Democratic Party stronghold Gyeonggi, there were comments that 'Won Hee-ryong is the best.'"

Governor Won believes that uniting moderate conservatives is necessary for the People Power Party to win. To resolve stagnant approval ratings, he outlined three options: ▲consolidating conservatives ▲appealing to moderate anti-Moon supporters ▲integration (the Won Hee-ryong model), emphasizing that only the Won Hee-ryong model can bring victory.

He pointed out, "The first method (consolidating conservatives) will lead to another loss. Since it does not acknowledge moderates, there is no expansion. The second method is subtraction; it does not recognize conservatives, so it cannot create a bigger whole," and explained, "The Won Hee-ryong model is addition. 1+1, where moderates and conservatives unite toward a better Republic of Korea."

Governor Won said, "It is about moving toward the future, not going back, while recognizing the contributions of the forces behind Korea's development and industrialization," adding, "Building a better Republic of Korea cannot be done alone. Politics is a team play, and without the one team spirit, we cannot win."

He appealed for support, saying, "It does not matter if I am not the one to implement the Won Hee-ryong model. As long as it can be realized, it is fine," and mentioned, "Former Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo and People’s Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo are all good. But the Won Hee-ryong model is best understood by Won Hee-ryong himself."

Governor Won said, "I started politics 20 years ago under the name of the Grand National Party. When friends and peers chose the Democratic Party, I stood with conservatives because I believed that affirming the Republic of Korea and protecting the community was conservatism," and stated, "I believed in the dynamism of conservatism in Korea’s history, so I stood with conservatives and have never betrayed them in 20 years."

He expressed his ambition, saying, "I want to unite the strength of all citizens on the achievements of industrialization and democratization to build a better Republic of Korea," and added, "We must be different from them to win. We must be competent, not incompetent."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.