[6.3 Election] People Power Party Resumes Special Mayoral Nomination Process... Lee Junghyun and Ahn Taeuk Apply Together

No Candidates in Initial Nomination, Procedure Scrapped
New Nomination Committee Launches Additional Application Process
Lee Junghyun Declares Candidacy, Sets "30% Vote Share" Goal
Ahn Taeuk Stresses "Growth of New Industries Through Integration"

Former Gwangju branch chairman Ahn Taeuk and former nomination management committee chairman Lee Junghyun have submitted their applications for the additional nomination process for the People Power Party's special mayoral candidate for the Jeonnam-Gwangju integration. The selection process for the People Power Party’s special mayoral candidate has resumed, as multiple candidates have applied in this second round of nominations following the previous failed attempt.

Lee Jeong-hyun, the Chairman of the Nomination Management Committee of the People Power Party, announced his intention to resign on the 31st of last month at the central party office in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the People Power Party's Gwangju branch on April 13, the nomination management committee of the party closed the additional applications for the Jeonnam-Gwangju special mayoral candidate on April 10, confirming that both Lee Junghyun, former nomination management committee chairman, and Ahn Taeuk, former Gwangju branch chairman, had submitted applications. The committee will evaluate the candidates’ qualifications and competitiveness through document screening and interviews, and will finalize the selection process—including whether to hold a primary—by taking into account the results of a public opinion poll.

This additional nomination process was initiated after the original selection procedure was scrapped. While Lee Junghyun was serving as nomination management committee chairman, no candidates applied for the Jeonnam-Gwangju special mayoral nomination, and with Lee personally declaring his candidacy, he and the committee members collectively resigned. The newly formed nomination management committee announced the additional nomination process on April 5 and began accepting applications.

Lee Junghyun officially declared his candidacy for the special mayoral election by confirming that he had applied for the nomination. He stated that this would be his ninth attempt at elected office, following his previous runs for Gwangju city councilor, National Assembly member, and Jeonnam governor, among others. He also set a goal of achieving “a 30% vote share” in this election, stressing the need to create a more competitive political landscape in the Honam region.

Lee, who is originally from Gokseong, Jeonnam, entered the National Assembly as a proportional representative in the 18th National Assembly, became the first conservative party member to win re-election in Suncheon, a constituency in the Honam region, and has served as Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs and for Public Relations, as well as chairman of the Saenuri Party.

Ahn Taeuk, former chairman of the Gwangju branch of the People Power Party, is holding a press conference on the special integrated mayoral election for Jeonnam and Gwangju at the briefing room of the Gwangju City Council on the afternoon of the 13th. Photo by Song Bohyun

On April 13, Ahn Taeuk held a press conference at the Gwangju City Council briefing room to announce his candidacy for the special mayoral election.

Ahn, who was born in Gwangju, began his political career in 1987 after graduating from the graduate school at Chonnam National University. He has served as a National Assembly policy research officer, spokesman for the Gwangju branch of the Grand National Party, director of TBN Gwangju Traffic Broadcasting, and chairman of the People Power Party’s Gwangju branch. He presented his vision that the integration of city and province would drive the growth of the Honam region based on new industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and semiconductors.

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