Kim Hwajin, Head of the People Power Party Jeonnam Committee, "Jang Seokwoong, Don't Use Me" Expresses Displeasure

Kim Hwajin, Chairman of the Jeonnam Provincial Party Committee of the People Power Party

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Kim Hwa-jin, chairman of the People Power Party Jeonnam Provincial Party Committee, expressed strong displeasure over the allegations by preliminary candidate Jang Seok-woong’s camp that the People Power Party Jeonnam Provincial Party Committee supports candidate Kim Dae-jung.

Chairman Kim said in a phone call with Asia Economy at 1 p.m. on the 9th, “Preliminary candidate Jang Seok-woong for Jeonnam Superintendent of Education held a press conference demanding an explanation regarding the People Power Party Jeonnam Provincial Party Committee’s ‘support for candidate Kim Dae-jung’ allegations,” adding, “It makes no sense logically and is very unpleasant.”

Preliminary candidate Jang Seok-woong held a press conference at 11 a.m. that day at the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education, stating, “With less than a month left until the June 1 local elections, hundreds of illegal banners have been posted across the streets of Jeonnam since April under the name of the ‘Association Loving Jeonnam Education.’ The content reads ‘Jeonnam Office of Education’s CSAT scores and integrity rankings are the worst ever,’ and the president of the ‘Association Loving Jeonnam Education’ is currently the chairman of the People Power Party Jeonnam Provincial Party Committee, Kim OO.”

Candidate Jang said, “The content of the banners posted under the name of the ‘Association Loving Jeonnam Education,’ chaired by Kim OO, chairman of the People Power Party Jeonnam Provincial Party Committee, matches the consistent claims made by the camp of preliminary candidate Kim Dae-jung that ‘integrity rankings and CSAT scores are the worst ever.’ We request a clear explanation from the People Power Party Jeonnam Provincial Party Committee regarding the reasonable suspicion that they support candidate Kim Dae-jung,” raising the allegations.

In response, Chairman Kim stated, “The ‘Association Loving Jeonnam Education’ that candidate Jang Seok-woong claims has nothing to do with me,” and expressed the view that “the claim that the provincial party chairman violated election laws and engaged in illegal activities is absurd.”

Chairman Kim added, “It is true that I founded an organization called ‘Jeonnam Education Love Association’ in 2016, but due to various circumstances, the ‘Jeonnam Education Love Association’ no longer exists,” and claimed, “Although the name ‘Association Loving Jeonnam Education’ is similar, it is a completely separate social organization from the ‘Jeonnam Education Love Association’ I operated and has nothing to do with me.”

Chairman Kim said, “I am curious about the intention behind mentioning me in relation to an organization that has nothing to do with me,” and added, “I feel unpleasant as if I am being used in the superintendent of education election,” and “I hope there will be no misunderstandings among the residents because of this.”

He continued, “Preliminary candidate Jang Seok-woong could have easily confirmed this by making at least one phone call to me before holding the press conference. However, there was not even a confirmation call,” and dismissed Jang’s claims as “illogical and not worth responding to.”

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