Gaeho Lee Announces Withdrawal from Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Mayoral Primary

Lee Gaeho, Member of the National Assembly.

National Assembly member Gaeho Lee (representing Damyang, Hampyeong, Yeonggwang, and Jangseong) officially announced on March 11 that he will not participate in the Democratic Party primary for the unified special mayoral candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju.

In a statement released that day, Lee said, "I have been working tirelessly, preparing a concrete vision for the successful launch of the unified special city and a greater leap forward for the Honam region, but my journey ends here."

He further explained that the core reason for his decision not to participate is the primary method determined by the party.

Lee stated, "Although the Nomination Management Committee initially recommended introducing a citizen nomination jury system to allow voters in the unified Jeonnam-Gwangju constituency to thoroughly evaluate the candidates, the party leadership did not accept this and instead adopted the same primary method as in other regions, which is inappropriate for the unified area. I deeply regret this decision."

While expressing respect for the decision of the party’s Supreme Council, Lee emphasized, "Continuing to participate in the primary would mean I am acknowledging the validity of the current primary method, which is difficult for me to accept given my commitment to principles."

He added, "Although my journey as a mayoral primary candidate ends here, my dedication to a major transformation and development of the Honam region remains unchanged. I will continue to quietly devote myself to ensuring the successful establishment of the unified special city."

Finally, he said, "Although the residents and fellow party members have shown me overwhelming support and encouragement, I could not meet their expectations due to my own shortcomings."

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