Candidate Lee Hyun-jae Urges Policy Debate with Kang Byung-duk: "Let Citizens Evaluate Our Policies"

Lee Hyun-jae, Hanam Mayoral Candidate, Proposes Public Debate to Kang Byung-duk
Criticizes Kang’s Absence from Education Policy Debate... “Hanam’s Development Should Be Based on Competence, Not Politics”
Choonjong Choi Announces Support for Lee Hyun-jae After Leaving Democratic Party, Emerging as a Key Election Factor

Lee Hyun-jae, the People Power Party candidate for mayor of Hanam, proposed a public policy debate to Kang Byung-duk, the Democratic Party candidate, stating, "I ask the citizens to judge who is the right person to lead Hanam’s development based on competence and ability, not on political unity."

Lee Hyun-jae, the People Power Party candidate for mayor of Hanam, holds a press conference at his election campaign office located in Hanam City on the 19th. Photo by Jonggu Lee

In a statement released on May 19, Lee criticized Kang’s absence from the education policy debate held that day, saying, "It is very regrettable that the ruling party candidate did not attend a discussion on education policy, which is the future and the centennial plan for Hanam." He added, "Recently, there have been comments among citizens that the Democratic Party mayoral candidate is nowhere to be seen."

He continued, "The mayor is not a politician, but an administrator," emphasizing, "The mayor must be able to present a vision for Hanam’s future development and explain the direction of city administration through detailed pledges that impact citizens’ lives."

Lee cited major issues in Hanam’s past, stating, "During the previous mayor’s term, incidents such as the Suseok Bridge agreement, the push for an integrated school, and the collapse of the H2 Project resulted in harm to citizens, and it took a long time to correct these problems."

He also pointed out, "The failure to install City Hall Station on Line 5 in the old downtown, the issue of the location for the proposed Sindukpung Station, the exclusion of Gyo-san Meeting Square, and the long-term deadlock of the Camp Colbern project are all representative examples of policy failures."

Lee Hyun-jae, the People Power Party candidate for mayor of Hanam, holds a press conference on the 19th at his election campaign office located in Hanam. Photo by Lee Jong-gu

Regarding Kang’s remarks on the H2 Project and the Camp Colbern project, Lee criticized, "These are claims made without even the minimum understanding of project implementation, which only serve to confuse the citizens."

He further emphasized, "At the time of the H2 Project, the President, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Governor of Gyeonggi Province, the National Assembly member, and the mayor were all members of the Democratic Party’s ‘one team,’ and even the issue of the East Seoul Substation was not resolved during the period when the same party was in power. The important thing is not political unity, but the difference in competence and ability."

Lee stated, "Why is there a need for ruling and opposition parties when it comes to developing Hanam?" He added, "We should think only about Hanam’s development together with citizens as the ‘Hanam Party.’"

He also mentioned that Kang had proposed a public debate in January on the performance and financing of the K-Star World project, declaring, "I am willing to participate in a debate at any time, place, or with any moderator that Kang desires, with no conditions."

He proposed, "Discussing local issues and Hanam’s future is the duty of a mayoral candidate. Let's be evaluated by the citizens on our policies and visions."

Lee appealed for support, saying, "For the past four years, I have managed city administration without taking a single day off. I ask citizens to decide who will immediately address issues and continue Hanam’s golden era as soon as elected."

Choi Hoonjong, Chairman of the Urban Construction Committee of Hanam City Council, is officially declaring his support for Lee Hyunjae, the People Power Party candidate for Hanam mayor, on the 19th after leaving the Democratic Party in protest of the party’s nomination process. Photo by Lee Jonggu

Meanwhile, on May 19, Choonjong Choi, Chair of the Urban Construction Committee of Hanam City Council, officially declared his support for Lee Hyun-jae, the People Power Party candidate for Hanam mayor, after leaving the Democratic Party in protest of the nomination process.

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