Won Hee-ryong: "Decision to Run Is Separate from Yoon's Support... Running Mate Undecided"

"Political Assets and Opportunities Personalized Politics Won't Last Long"
Declaration of Candidacy at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 23rd at 3 PM

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong clarified that his decision to independently run in the party convention was made regardless of President Yoon Seok-yeol's intentions. The running mate (candidate for Supreme Council member) to run alongside former Minister Won has not yet been decided.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 21st, former Minister Won met with reporters at the National Assembly Members' Office Building and, when asked whether President Yoon's intentions influenced his decision to run, he replied, "The decision to run is separate from that," adding, "I always make political decisions together with those close to me." He also said, "It is true that I gave the president a verbal report over the phone," and "It was just a customary exchange of pleasantries, the same as what other candidates received."

When asked if he had chosen a running mate, he said, "The running mate system does not really exist. I will focus on the party leader election," and added, "Among the candidates for Supreme Council member, if they are to take charge of party management in the future, the party leadership needs to have diverse representation, and sometimes political skills are necessary to smoothly lead negotiations even when there are heated debates between the party and the government. It is true that I am diligently looking for a good person, but nothing has been decided yet."

When asked if his comment that "if we fight, it could lead to ruin" was aimed at former Emergency Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon, he said, "Regardless of who it is, we are all members of the ruling party. This is not a faction led by Representative Lee Jae-myung," and added, "Politics where no one takes responsibility, everything is blamed on others, and political assets and opportunities are all individualized will not last long and only worry the public." He continued, "In that regard, before my remarks, many comrades in our party who have affection and a sense of infinite responsibility are anxious and fearful that politics based solely on fighting could lead to unfortunate outcomes."

On the same day, former Minister Won visited the offices of Representative Kim Ki-hyun, followed by those of Yoon Sang-hyun, Kim Jae-seop, Yoo Yong-won, In Yo-han, and Cho Jung-hoon, greeting their aides and some members of the National Assembly. Former Minister Won is scheduled to declare his candidacy at 3 p.m. on the 23rd at the National Assembly Communication Hall.

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