People Power Party Candidate for Gangseo-gu Mayor By-election Confirmed as Kim Tae-woo

Kim Tae-woo: "If Cho Kuk is Guilty, I am Innocent... Focusing on People's Livelihood"

Former Seoul Gangseo District Mayor Kim Tae-woo will run as the People Power Party candidate in the Gangseo District mayoral by-election scheduled for the 11th of next month. This by-election, dubbed the 'prelude to the general election,' will feature a showdown between Kim and Jin Gyo-hoon, former Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency, who is running as the Democratic Party candidate.

The People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee (NMC) announced the primary results at the National Assembly on the 17th. Former Mayor Kim won the primary held on the 15th and 16th, which was conducted with a 50% party member survey and 50% general voter survey, defeating his competitors Kim Jin-sun, head of the Gangseo-byeong party committee, and Kim Yong-sung, former Seoul city council member. The results will be finalized after approval at the Supreme Council meeting on the 18th.

Kim Tae-woo, former mayor of Gangseo District, Seoul [Photo by Yonhap News]

Regarding his election strategy, former Mayor Kim stated, "Contrary to the Democratic Party's political framing of prosecution and police, I will focus solely on people's livelihoods." Specifically, he proposed to prioritize ▲deregulation of the old downtown area of Gangseo District ▲strengthening welfare for the common people.

Addressing criticisms that he is the 'cause of the by-election,' he said, "Many people sympathize with the thought, 'If Cho Kuk is guilty, then I am innocent,'" adding, "I said 'Cho Kuk committed a crime,' but to say that merely saying this is a crime and to preemptively convict me is against common sense."

Former Mayor Kim was elected as Gangseo District Mayor in the June 1 local elections last year as a member of the People Power Party but lost his position in May this year after his sentence was finalized. During the Moon Jae-in administration, he was a member of the Special Inspection Team in the Blue House's Civil Affairs Office and exposed allegations of cover-up regarding Cho Kuk, then Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs. He was sentenced by the Supreme Court to one year in prison with a two-year probation for leaking official secrets. Subsequently, he regained his eligibility to run for office through a special pardon on Liberation Day last month.

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