[6.3 Election] Seo Haegeun Withdraws from Race...Haenam Governor Election Now a 'One-Horse Race' for Myung Hyunkwan

Myung Hyunkwan: Landslide Primary Win and Incumbent Advantage Signal Bright Prospects for Third Term

Independent Park Jiwon Draws Attention as "Same-Name" Candidate Enters the Race

The race for the governor of Haenam County, South Jeolla Province, scheduled for June 3, is undergoing significant changes. Recently, as preliminary candidate Seo Haegeun abruptly announced his withdrawal from the race, the election landscape has rapidly shifted toward a "one-horse race" led by the incumbent governor Myung Hyunkwan of the Democratic Party of Korea.

(from left) Myung Hyungwan, Seo Haegun, Park Jiwon, preliminary candidates

Seo Haegeun, the 'realistic rival,' steps down...Local political circles in turmoil

On May 11, preliminary candidate Seo Haegeun issued a statement declaring, "With a passionate conviction to make Haenam a better place to live, I have decided to stop my journey," officially announcing his withdrawal from the governor's race.

Seo, an expert in both administration and legislation, has served for 34 years as director of Haenam County’s Department of Culture and Tourism, head of Bukil-myeon, and head of Hwangsan-myeon, among other posts, before also serving as a county council member. Since leaving the Democratic Party of Korea in August last year, stating, "I will set out on a new path with a light heart," he has steadily built support at the grassroots level. His sudden withdrawal from the race is having a considerable impact on the local political scene.

Until now, local political circles had considered Seo to be the most realistic contender to check Myung Hyunkwan’s solo run. He was expected to bring about a "wind of change" by attracting support from those who left the Democratic Party, but with his withdrawal, it is widely analyzed that there is no longer a major competitor who can pose a real threat to Myung.

Landslide victory in the primaries, major obstacle removed...Myung Hyunkwan on a clear path to a third term

The biggest beneficiary of Seo’s withdrawal is preliminary candidate Myung Hyunkwan. In the Democratic Party of Korea’s South Jeolla local government primary held on April 8, Myung secured a direct ticket to the main election by winning a majority of votes in a three-way race. With Seo’s exit, Myung is now in an even more advantageous position to secure a third term.

During his seventh and eighth terms as governor, Myung completed 67 out of 111 pledges (with an implementation rate exceeding 60%), earning the highest grade from the Korea Manifesto Center for seven consecutive years in its pledge fulfillment evaluations.

At his campaign announcement on April 1, Myung emphasized the continuity of the key ‘Haenam Solaseedo RE100 Industrial Complex Development Project’ and presented his vision: “I will foster Haenam, a rural coastal city, as a future bio-life science valley.”

With his overwhelming support base within the party, the "incumbent advantage," and now the departure of his only serious rival, a prevailing view in local political circles is that Myung is on a clear path toward a third consecutive term.

Independent candidate Park enters the race...Will the "same-name factor" make an impact?

The void left by former council member Seo has been filled by Park Jiwon, who registered as an independent candidate. Park, who spent 26 years as a public servant at Ansan City Hall in Gyeonggi Province before returning to his hometown of Masan-myeon, Haenam County to run for office, is expected to appeal to calls for renewal in the region based on his extensive administrative experience.

An interesting point in this election is that candidate Park shares the same name as Park Jiwon, the current National Assembly member representing Haenam, Wando, and Jindo. There is growing interest in how the candidacy of an independent with the same name as a high-profile Democratic Party lawmaker, in a region traditionally dominated by the party, will affect voter perceptions.

However, due to his relatively weak organizational base, the consensus is that Park is unlikely to overturn the already solidified momentum behind Myung Hyunkwan’s candidacy.

A local political figure commented, "With former council member Seo Haegeun’s withdrawal, any real threat to Governor Myung has essentially disappeared," adding, "The only remaining point of interest in this election is how much of the underlying desire for change the independent candidate Park can absorb."

Meanwhile, the official campaign period for the June 3 local elections will run from May 21 to June 2, with the main vote taking place on June 3.

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