Choi Kyunghwan Makes First Move After Rejoining People Power Party... Signals Gubernatorial Bid as an "Economic Expert"

"I Will Revive the Plummeting Gyeongbuk Economy"
Presents Five Core Strategies at Yeungnam University Special Lecture

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Kyunghwan Choi will officially begin his campaign for the 2026 Gyeongsangbuk-do gubernatorial election with a special lecture at Yeungnam University on the evening of December 9.

Having completed his return to the People Power Party in May, Choi is putting his reputation as an "economic expert leader" at the forefront and effectively announcing his policy platform. On this day, he will deliver a lecture titled "The Plummeting Gyeongbuk Economy: Specialized Growth as the Key to a New Leap Forward" to students of the Advanced Management Program at Yeungnam University’s Graduate School of Business Administration.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Kyung-Hwan Choi

He will sharply diagnose the current crisis facing Gyeongbuk due to population decline and low growth, and present "five core strategies" to overcome these challenges.

The main strategies include: ▲ industrial structure innovation by fostering a new industry triangle, ▲ securing budget swiftly by converting the TK new airport project into a national fiscal project, and ▲ dramatically expanding medical infrastructure.

The special lecture, attended by AMP students and other local opinion leaders, is seen as a stage to showcase Choi's organizational strength and enduring recognition.

Choi emphasized, "I understand the central government's policy decision-making structure and budget system better than anyone," and highlighted his own qualifications by stating, "Gyeongbuk needs a leader with overwhelming drive and vision to overcome its crisis and make it thrive again."

Political circles widely analyze that his return and policy moves will rapidly intensify the People Power Party’s primary for Gyeongbuk governor into a contest among heavyweight figures.

As Choi takes the initiative on the highly sensitive agenda of the Gyeongbuk economy, it is expected that the incumbent governor and other veteran lawmakers running for the position will also strengthen their own economic visions in response.

A local political insider commented, "Choi’s move to quickly rally support through a policy lecture right after resolving the issue of rejoining the party sends a strong message that 'I am ready.' Going forward, the Gyeongbuk gubernatorial primary will become a fierce battleground of personal credentials among conservative heavyweights."

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