Seo Samsuk to Remain as Supreme Council Member, Not Running for South Jeolla Governor... Local Politics Stirred

Fierce Competition Among Kim Youngrok, Joo Cheolhyeon, Shin Jeonghoon, and Lee Gaeho
Attention on Where Seo Samsuk's Supporters Will Turn
New Variable Emerges in the Battle for the Governorship

Seo Samsuk, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and chairman of the Honam Development Special Committee, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the Jeonnam Provincial Party Headquarters in Muan-gun, Jeonnam, on September 8. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

With the June 3 local elections approaching next year, Seo Samsuk, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who had been considered a strong contender for the governor of South Jeolla Province, has decided to remain as a Supreme Council member of the party. This has caused significant upheaval in the local political landscape, as it effectively amounts to his announcement that he will not run in the gubernatorial election.

Local political circles believe that the biggest variable and 'casting vote' in the South Jeolla gubernatorial race will be where the votes from the central and western regions, which had previously rallied around Seo, will now go.

Previously, on December 1, Democratic Party Supreme Council members Kim Byungjoo, Chun Hyunhee, and Han Junho officially resigned from the party leadership to run in the local elections. The current party leadership consists of nine members: Party Leader Jung Chungrae, Floor Leader Kim Byungki, six elected Supreme Council members, appointed Supreme Council member Seo Samsuk, and a Supreme Council member representing ordinary party members.

Among them, the figure drawing the most attention is three-term lawmaker Seo Samsuk. Initially, there was widespread speculation in local political circles that Seo would step down from his Supreme Council position to enter the gubernatorial race. This was because, based in Muan and possessing strong organizational power and recognition in the western region, he had long been considered a leading candidate.

In fact, Seo has consistently ranked among the top candidates for governor, recording a steady approval rating of 4 to 9 percent in various opinion polls.

Currently, the Democratic Party's race for South Jeolla governor is highly competitive, with several candidates-including incumbent Governor Kim Youngrok and lawmakers Joo Cheolhyeon, Shin Jeonghoon, and Lee Gaeho-closely matched within the margin of error.

Against this backdrop, Seo's announcement that he will not run is expected to serve as a major variable that could shake up the entire race. The election outcome could change significantly depending on which candidate is able to attract Seo's supporters.

Already, there is much speculation in local political circles about the relationships each candidate has with Seo and how they interpret his 'political signals.' The impact has grown even greater after it became known that Seo himself hinted he might be considering a particular candidate.

A local political insider commented, "With Governor Kim Youngrok unable to break out of the current range, lawmakers Joo Cheolhyeon, Shin Jeonghoon, and Lee Gaeho are fiercely competing behind the scenes to secure support. In this situation, Seo's absence creates a significant variable. We will need to closely monitor his moves."

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