Kim Tae-woo "I Will Keep My Promise to Gangseo Residents" vs Jin Gyo-hoon "Police and Prosecution Are Different"

Minju, Former Police Agency Deputy Chief Jin Gyo-hoon Nomination
Ruling Party Kim Tae-woo Nomination Strongly Considered
Possibility of 'Prosecutor-Police Showdown' Realized

The Democratic Party of Korea has decided to strategically nominate Jin Gyo-hoon, former Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency, as its candidate for the upcoming by-election for the Mayor of Gangseo District in Seoul next month. Meanwhile, the People Power Party is seriously considering nominating Kim Tae-woo, former Mayor of Gangseo District, who was reinstated by a special pardon on Liberation Day last month.

Initially, the People Power Party leaned towards not nominating a candidate since the by-election was triggered by the loss of Kim’s mayoral position. However, after the Democratic Party’s nomination decision, the party has reportedly shifted towards fielding a candidate. It appears they judged that Kim has a good chance of winning in terms of name recognition and competitiveness.

Former Gangseo District Mayor Kim Tae-woo, who lost his position after being convicted in a final ruling for exposing allegations of cover-up in the Moon Jae-in administration's inspection, is speaking at the opening ceremony of his Gangseo District Mayor by-election campaign office held in a building in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 28th. August 28, 2023.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

If Kim’s nomination is confirmed, the by-election will be particularly notable as it will set up a 'Prosecution vs. Police' showdown. Jin, the former Deputy Commissioner, served as the last Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency under the Moon Jae-in administration and has held key positions such as Director of the Information Management Department at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Director of the Intelligence Bureau at the National Police Agency, and Commissioner of the Jeollabuk-do Provincial Police Agency.

Kim, a former prosecutor’s investigator, worked as a special inspection team member in the Civil Affairs Office of the Blue House during the Moon Jae-in administration. However, in 2018, he exposed allegations related to the special inspection team and was sentenced by the Supreme Court to one year in prison with a two-year probation, resulting in the loss of his mayoral position. Three months after the conviction was finalized, he was reinstated by a special pardon on Liberation Day this August, allowing him to run for office again. He has also expressed his intention to run again in the Gangseo District mayoral by-election next month.

The People Power Party plans to form a nomination management committee as early as this week, conduct candidate recruitment and screening, and finalize the candidate. While a primary election is possible, the party internally views Kim’s nomination as highly likely.

Kim has stated that he will abide by the party’s decision, whether it is a direct nomination or a primary. On the 6th, he appeared on Channel A’s radio show 'Political Signal' and said, "Whichever way the party decides, I will follow their decision. I am confident either way." He added, "Many people have suggested that next year’s general election might be better, but I believe keeping my promise to the residents of Gangseo is much more important," and expressed regret that he was only able to serve as mayor for one year.

The Democratic Party of Korea announced on the 4th that it has decided to strategically nominate Jin Gyo-hoon, former Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency, as its candidate for the upcoming by-election for the Mayor of Gangseo District, Seoul, scheduled for next month.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Jin emphasized his extensive experience in key positions within the police organization as his strength. In an interview on the YouTube channel 'Kim Eo-jun’s Humility is Difficult News Factory,' Jin said, "I am not running for mayor to enter politics, but with the mindset of an administrator who wants to look after the lives of the residents. One of my strengths is that through planning work, I have experienced all the general administrative tasks necessary for internal administration."

He continued, "Prosecutors mainly work in the investigation field and punish the other party, but the police have a very broad spectrum of duties. They prevent crimes, protect citizens’ human rights, and have extensive contact with residents. It is quite different from the prosecution," he emphasized.

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