Opening Ceremony of Bae Jong-ho Election Office, Over 3,000 Supporters and Citizens Participate Enthusiastically

Congratulatory Remarks and Messages from Park Chan-dae, Supreme Council Member, and the Democratic Party Leadership

"The Best Candidate to Solve the Numerous Local Issues"... Strengthening Determination for Victory in the General Election

On the 2nd at 3 p.m., Bae Jong-ho, a preliminary candidate running in the Democratic Party of Korea's primary for the Mokpo City National Assembly member in the 22nd general election, held an opening ceremony for his election office.

At the opening ceremony, including National Assembly member Min Hyung-bae, Cheon Kyung-bae, Lee Jae-myung, Director of the Democratic Party of Korea Representative Office, 17 current and former city and provincial council members, former Mokpo City Council Chairmen Park Byung-seop and Kim Hyu-hwan, election committee officials, party members, and supporters attended, pledging victory in the primary as well as the general election, thus officially entering the general election race.

Preliminary candidate Bae Jong-ho, who presented the slogan "Player Change for Mokpo Development," stated, "This Mokpo National Assembly election is not simply an election to choose one National Assembly member, but an election on which the fate of Mokpo, facing the crisis of regional extinction, depends." He emphasized that he is "a National Assembly member with a presence recognized even at the central government level, a National Assembly member with the fighting power to oppose the tyranny of the Yoon Seok-yeol dictatorship, and the best candidate to solve the pressing local issues," reaffirming his determination to win both the primary and the general election.

At the opening ceremony of Bae Jong-ho's preliminary candidate election office, a group photo is being taken with attending citizens and supporters. [Photo by Bae Jong-ho preliminary candidate election office]

Along with the opening ceremony of candidate Bae's election office, the Democratic Party of Korea leadership sent congratulatory messages through numerous congratulatory videos and letters.

In particular, Jeong Seong-ho, a current National Assembly member and a pro-Lee Jae-myung faction leader, and Hong Ik-pyo, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, sent congratulatory letters, while Park Chan-dae, Supreme Council member, Kim Du-gwan, National Assembly member, Jeong Cheong-rae, senior Supreme Council member and chairman of the support committee for preliminary candidate Bae Jong-ho, Min Byung-duk, National Assembly member, Lee Gae-ho, National Assembly member, and Choi Jin-bong, vice president of the Korea Political Commentators Association, sent congratulatory videos expressing regret for their absence and congratulating the opening of Bae Jong-ho’s election office.

The opening ceremony was attended by over 70 representatives of Mokpo civic groups, party members, supporters, and about 3,000 Mokpo citizens, celebrating the opening of Bae Jong-ho’s election office and praying for his victory in the primary and general election as a pioneer for ending the Yoon Seok-yeol government’s tyranny and for Mokpo’s great leap forward through the establishment of a new political culture.

The ceremony proceeded with Bae Jong-ho’s "Message of Hope and Thanks to the Citizens," the reading of the "Mokpo Political Reform Declaration" by the Democratic Party of Korea Mokpo Regional Committee’s Political Reform Hope Coalition to realize new politics in Mokpo, the "Mokpo Youth Hope Proclamation" conveying the aspirations of young people, and the chanting of victory slogans.

Bae Jong-ho, a native of Mokpo, graduated from Mokpo Jungang Elementary School, Cheongho Middle School, Mokpo High School, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and Liberty University in the United States. He joined KBS as a public recruitment reporter in 1987 and gained fame as an exclusive reporter, winning numerous awards including the Journalist of the Year Award. He became a nationally recognized star journalist through programs such as KBS’s "Public Wanted Case 25 Hours" anchor.

Notably, during his tenure at KBS, he led labor union activities and spearheaded the fight for democratization of broadcasting. In 1992, he actively participated in the "KBS April Struggle," was placed on the national wanted list, lived in hiding for three months, and was eventually arrested by public security authorities, enduring significant hardship.

Currently, Bae Jong-ho is active as a representative progressive political commentator on major media outlets including KBS, MBC, YTN, Yonhap News TV, MBN, terrestrial and news specialty channels, and comprehensive programming channels. He was elected the inaugural president of the Korea Political Commentators Association and is leading efforts to overcome polarized factional politics.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party’s nomination management committee announced on the 28th of last month, after the 8th candidate screening, that the 22nd Mokpo National Assembly candidate will be decided through a two-person primary between preliminary candidates Bae Jong-ho and Kim Won-i.

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