Hwang Tae-jin, Chairman of Hamyang County Council, "Contemplating Remaining Life" ... Announces Candidacy for Hamyang County Governor Election

Hwang Tae-jin, Chairman of the Hamyang County Council.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Hwang Tae-jin, chairman of the Gyeongnam Hamyang County Council, is expected to announce his candidacy for Hamyang County Governor in the local elections to be held this June.

Since entering the 6th Hamyang County Council in 2010, Chairman Hwang (62) has succeeded in being elected for three consecutive terms in the 7th and 8th councils, setting a record by serving as the head of the council three times. He revealed his future plans at the start of the new year.

In an interview with this paper, Chairman Hwang said, “I am contemplating what the best thing I can do for the residents in the rest of my life is,” indicating his decision to run for the county governor position.

Chairman Hwang is known to be very close to National Assembly member Kim Tae-ho, whose constituency is in Geochang, to the extent that they are like sworn brothers.

Depending on Kim’s political moves, despite holding the important position of county council chairman during last April’s general election, Hwang left his party to support independent candidate Kim Tae-ho. Then, following Kim’s return to the People Power Party earlier last year, Hwang also rejoined the party in April.

Accordingly, next year’s People Power Party primary for Hamyang County Governor is expected to be a three-way contest. The candidates are narrowed down to current County Governor Seo Chun-soo, who was elected as an independent and joined the party in June last year, Chairman Hwang, and former provincial council member Jin Byung-young, who ran against Governor Seo in the previous election.

Hwang Tae-jin was born in 1960 in Hyucheon-myeon, Hamyang County. He graduated from Hyucheon Elementary School in Dong-myeon and then attended Hamyang Middle and High Schools. During his school years, he learned Taekwondo and later entered the Martial Arts Department at Incheon Physical Education College to major in it.

As a university student, he was a representative Taekwondo middleweight athlete and won several national competitions. After completing his military service, he ran a gym in his hometown and served as the secretary-general of the Hamyang County Sports Council from the mid-1990s. He also held positions such as youth committee chairman and secretary-general for former National Assembly members Kwon Ik-hyun and Lee Kang-doo.

Since July 2010, he has served as a member of the 6th Hamyang County Council, chairman of the 7th council’s first half, and transferred to the Department of Business Administration at Korea International University, from which he graduated. He has been serving as chairman of both the first and second halves of the 8th Hamyang County Council and continues to lead local council affairs.

At the beginning of the new year, we asked Chairman Hwang about his plans.

Q: You have been mentioned as a potential candidate for county governor for some time. Have you firmly decided to run in next year’s election?

- I have spent half of my life working for our county and its residents. In the early days of my social activities, I contributed through my specialty in sports and cultural activities, and from the middle period onward, I worked as a party member and local councilor, striving to meet the expectations of the residents.

As a result, I was elected as a three-term council member and served three times as chairman of the county council. I believe this was the result of dedicating myself to the mission given to me rather than personal ambition. I am now contemplating what the best thing I can do for the residents in the rest of my life is.

Q: As the head of the county council, which both checks and supports the executive branch, how do you evaluate the administration of current County Governor Seo Chun-soo?

- As the head of the council, which serves as a check on the county executive, it is not appropriate for me to evaluate a political comrade and competitor. Since personal bias could be involved, I believe it is right to leave the judgment to the residents.

Q: If you run as a candidate for county governor, what pledges and catchphrases would you like to present?

- During my more than ten years as a council member, I have never particularly engaged in election campaigning. I take pride in having faithfully represented the residents of Hamyang County by sticking to the basics.

When residents felt wronged, I visited them to understand their situations, discussed solutions, and if I judged that something needed to be addressed for the residents, I never gave up until it was resolved.

I believe that not losing my original intention and working diligently is the best catchphrase and pledge.

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