Kim Taeheum Welcomes Chung Jinseok's Decision to Withdraw Candidacy... To Announce Chungcheongnam-do Gubernatorial Bid on the 8th

"I Will Devote Myself to Winning the Hearts of Chungcheongnam-do Residents"

Kim Taeheum, Governor of Chungcheongnam-do Province, commented on former Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jinseok's withdrawal of his candidacy application for the by-election in Gongju, Buyeo, and Cheongyang, saying, "I welcome former Chief Chung's agonizing yet resolute decision."

On May 7, through his Facebook page, Governor Kim stated, "I hope that former Chief Chung's decision will serve as an opportunity for our party to unite as one and approach the public with renewed commitment."

Chungnam Governor Kim Taeheum is speaking at the mutual cooperation press conference for the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo and Taean International Horticultural Therapy Expo, held at Seoul City Hall on the 22nd, together with Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon. Photo by Yonhap News.

He emphasized, "With deep respect for former Chief Chung's sacrifice, I will devote all my efforts to winning the hearts of the people of Chungcheongnam-do." He added, "I would also like to convey my sympathy for the emotional pain he must have experienced during this time."

Previously, Governor Kim had indefinitely postponed both his scheduled preliminary registration as a local election candidate and his announcement of candidacy, which had been set for May 4, in protest against former Chief Chung's movement toward candidacy in the by-election.

Governor Kim is expected to register as a preliminary candidate for the local elections and hold a press conference announcing his candidacy on May 8.

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