Ruling Party in Bu-Ul-Gyeong Region May Nominate Kim Du-gwan as Presidential Candidate from Local Area

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] As ruling party presidential candidates based on regions prepare to launch their campaigns, voices are growing louder in the Bu-Ul-Gyeong region demanding that a local candidate be produced.

Notably mentioned are Kim Kyung-soo, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, and Kim Doo-kwan, a member of the Democratic Party who also served as Governor of Gyeongnam.

Originally, Kim Kyung-soo, the late President Roh Moo-hyun’s last secretary and known as the right-hand man of President Moon Jae-in, was considered the leading presidential candidate from the Yeongnam region.

However, with Governor Kim reportedly firm on seeking a second term, there is no other presidential hopeful with strong intentions except for Representative Kim Doo-kwan, who is regarded as one of the pro-Moon’s third candidates.

Representative Kim is a regional franchise politician based in the PK area. Starting from the farmers’ movement, he served as village head, county governor, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, and Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. In last year’s general election, he accepted the party’s demand for a focal point in Yeongnam elections and ran in the Yangsan district, winning the seat.

Representative Kim is expected to officially declare his presidential candidacy in June. It is known that he recently had a private meeting with Governor Kim Kyung-soo to exchange views on the presidential and local elections. At this meeting, a consensus was formed that if the Democratic Party fails to field a PK presidential candidate, it will be very difficult to capture the Yeongnam voters, who are essential for the regime’s re-creation in the presidential election.

On the 3rd, during a meeting to discuss policy issues with the Governor of Gyeongnam and seven heads of basic local governments in Gyeongnam, there was talk that “if a presidential candidate is not fielded, the PK political circle will be virtually annihilated.” This implies a high possibility of losing not only the basic local government seats won in the last local elections but also the seats in the city and provincial councils.

A local politician said, “The Democratic Party has expanded its foothold in the PK region thanks to Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in,” expressing concern that “depending on the presidential candidate and election results this time, the hard-won regional base could collapse all at once.”

In fact, the Democratic Party’s sense of crisis has heightened following the defeat in the April 7 by-elections. There is a nervous atmosphere fearing that the political base painstakingly built against regionalism might be swept away again. In response, Representative Kim is expanding his activities by engaging with local political circles. He is broadening his Yeongnam region activities, including holding a basic assets forum in Daegu on the 10th.

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