Assemblyman Jo Hae-jin's 'Gimhae-eul' Candidacy Announcement Canceled Due to Party Member Opposition

The press conference for the candidacy announcement of Jo Hae-jin, a three-term senior member of the People Power Party from Gyeongnam, running in Gimhae-eul, Gyeongnam, was canceled due to opposition from local council party members.

On the 14th at 11 a.m., Representative Jo intended to announce his official candidacy for the upcoming April general election in the Gimhae-eul electoral district at the Gimhae City Hall Press Center. However, party members from the council who heard about the press conference gathered and blocked the entrance to the Press Center, leading to a standoff lasting over 30 minutes and resulting in the cancellation of the conference.

The People Power Party's Gyeongnam Gimhae-eul Regional Council is blocking Assemblyman Jo Hae-jin's entry to the press conference venue by holding up a banner in front of the Gimhae City Hall Press Center.
[Photo by Lee Se-ryeong]

The council party members and prospective candidates urged the People Power Party’s nomination management committee and Representative Jo, saying, “Gimhae is not a place that easily gives votes to those who abandon their constituencies,” and “The People Power Party should select candidates through a fair nomination review.”

Earlier, on the 7th, the People Power Party’s nomination committee requested Representative Jo to leave his current constituency of Gyeongnam Miryang-Uiryeong-Haman-Changnyeong and run in either Gimhae-gap or Gimhae-eul.

Both districts are currently represented by Democratic Party incumbents Min Hong-chul and Kim Jeong-ho, respectively, and are considered challenging constituencies for the People Power Party in the Yeongnam region.

When Representative Jo accepted the party leadership’s recommendation to change constituencies and expressed his intention to run in Gimhae-eul on the 13th, prospective candidates from both ruling and opposition parties, People Power Party members, and Gimhae citizens strongly opposed his candidacy.

Assemblyman Jo Hae-jin is leaving Gimhae City Hall after canceling the press conference for his candidacy in the Gimhae-eul electoral district of Gyeongnam.
[Photo by Lee Se-ryeong]

On the day, Special Advisor Hwang Jong-won said, “Although Representative Jo should have personally announced his intention, for the safety of those gathered and to prepare for any unforeseen incidents, the press conference will be replaced with a written statement,” adding, “He will undergo interviews and other procedures according to the nomination committee’s regulations and schedule.”

Representative Jo stated, “I intended to directly convey my candidacy and detailed situation to the citizens of Gimhae, but due to circumstances, it was replaced with a written statement,” and added, “I plan to hold meetings and press conferences in the future to have detailed discussions,” before leaving Gimhae City Hall.

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