Naju Mayor Candidate Kang In-gyu: "Please Judge Fake Democracy of Illegality, Evasion, Conflict, and Division"

Politics of a Regional Chairman Filled with Arrogance and Self-Righteousness Is a Deep-Rooted Evil

Will Run as an Independent Prioritizing the Will of the Citizens

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] On the 2nd, Mayor Kang In-kyu of Naju and six other candidates for mayor, provincial councilor, and city councilor, who were former Democratic Party preliminary candidates, held a press conference at the Naju Citizens' Hall, announcing their intention to run as independents for the reform of the Democratic Party.

The six preliminary candidates participating in today's press conference?Mayor candidate Kang In-kyu, provincial councilor candidate Kim Seonyong, and city councilor candidates Kim Jangju, Lee Gwangseok, Lim Chaesu, and Hwang Jeongheon?declared, "We will become the conscience that acts with the belief to reform the Democratic Party and change local politics."

These six candidates stated, "We demanded the opportunity to be chosen by the citizens and the chance to work for them," but "what we received in return was an unfair standard and self-serving nominations by the local party chairperson." They added, "Principles and criteria changed depending on who it was. We were excluded from nominations due to political rivalry, and the local party chairperson’s personal connections or the influence of powerful politicians became reasons for nominations. There is even reasonable suspicion that nomination evaluation scores were manipulated."

They also pointed out, "It has been revealed that the local party chairperson interfered in the nomination evaluation and that local party officials intervened in the primaries." They noted, "The local party chairperson’s relatives were appointed as members of the Jeonnam Provincial Party’s nomination committee, and under the pretext of election commission duties, the chairperson visited the nomination evaluation meeting venue accompanied by a specific candidate. Furthermore, local party officials were mobilized to ensure the victory of a particular candidate in the primaries, and there are claims that the party membership list was leaked."

Regarding the recent investigation by the Democratic Party’s emergency committee’s ethics inspection team into the Jeonnam Provincial Party and the demands for disclosure of the reasons for excluding candidate Kang In-kyu from nomination and the nomination evaluation results, they criticized, "The Democratic Party remains silent and misses the opportunity to innovate itself. Instead of presenting concrete grounds and criteria understandable to the candidates, it misleads public opinion and justifies itself."

The six candidates stated, "Illegal and irregular practices are eroding the Democratic Party. The politics of the local party chairperson, filled with arrogance and dogmatism, has become a deep-rooted evil that is corroding the region." They explained, "If the Democratic Party has given up on self-reform, now everyone must step up for the party’s innovation," revealing their reasons for running as independents.

They further appealed, "We will run as independents to oppose the hegemonic politics of the Democratic Party’s Naju local committee and to practice politics that prioritize the will of the citizens." They urged, "Please judge the fake democratic forces that commit illegal and irregular acts and incite conflict and division, and show that the right to choose the elected officials belongs solely to the citizens."

With the declaration of independent candidacy by Kang In-kyu and the other six candidates today, there is speculation that a wave of independent candidates may arise in this local election.

The number of former and current heads of organizations in the Jeonnam region who left the Democratic Party in protest of the nomination evaluation and primary process and are running as independents has increased to four, and including current independent candidates, a total of six former and current heads are running as independents.

Attention is focused on whether the disappointment of local residents witnessing the Democratic Party’s nomination turmoil will lead to the election of independent candidates.

Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong bong2910@asiae.co.kr

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