[June 3 Election] Woo Hongseop: "Wando Can Develop Only If the Democratic Party Candidate Wins and Secures National Funding"

Personnel Reform: "Blocking Special Privileges, Creating a Joint Manual with the Labor Union"

Direct Critique of Kim Shin's 'Departure and Return' Controversy: "The Promise to Rejoin After Winning Is Empty Rhetoric"

Woo Hongseop, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Wando County Governor, held a press conference where he outlined his strategy for securing government funding, presented a plan for reforming public official appointments, and directly addressed the issue of independent candidate Kim Shin's departure from—and potential return to—the party, in a bid to gain momentum in the election.

At the press conference on May 20, candidate Woo strongly asserted his advantage as the ruling party's candidate and his solid connection to the government, stating, "I will secure funding for Wando with the support of the Lee Jaemyung administration and the ruling party."

Woo Hongseop, the Democratic Party candidate for Wando County Governor, held a press conference ahead of the official election campaign for the great transformation of Wando. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

"Without the Lee Jaemyung Administration and the Democratic Party, Securing Funding Is Difficult"…Stressing the Ruling Party Advantage

Woo identified "close cooperation with the ruling party" as the top priority and a prerequisite for Wando's development. He emphasized, "Major projects by local governments are impossible without large-scale funding from the central government. The long-cherished projects of Wando—such as fostering the marine bioindustry, supporting the abalone industry, and expanding the transportation network, which requires several trillion won in funding—will ultimately hinge on securing national government finances."

In particular, Woo defined the launch of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City as an unprecedented financial opportunity in the history of Wando. He underscored, "In order to seize this enormous opportunity, which will see 5 trillion won injected annually—a total of 20 trillion won over four years—it is essential to have a strong county governor who can communicate and cooperate directly with the Lee Jaemyung administration and the ruling Democratic Party."

He added, "Funding does not simply come down from above by making declarations while sitting still. The county governor must visit government ministries personally, persuade the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and at the same time establish a close one-team cooperation system with lawmakers and the Jeonnam provincial government."

He stressed that the connection with the ruling party is not a matter of choice but a "reality for survival." Through this, he pledged to swiftly pursue the revival of the abalone industry, improvement of medical infrastructure, and policies to help young people settle in the region.

At the press conference, candidate Woo Hongseop defined the launch of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City as a significant opportunity for the development of Wando. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

"Abolishing Blood, Regional, and School Ties"…Building an Appointment Manual in Partnership with the Labor Union

Regarding personnel administration, Woo proposed an unprecedented and concrete reform plan. He declared his determination to boldly break away from the entrenched culture of favoritism based on blood ties, regional ties, and school ties, which has long plagued local governments.

He firmly stated, "There will be absolutely no privileges for relatives," and announced his intention to establish a separate "appointment manual" to systemically guarantee transparency and fairness in personnel matters. In particular, he presented a specific roadmap, saying, "I will work closely with the public officials' labor union during the appointment process." This demonstrates his intention to operate the organization through a fair system, excluding personal interests or arbitrary decisions by the county governor.

Woo shared an anecdote from his time as Deputy Governor of Jindo, where the first place he visited was the labor-management council. He said, "The top priority is to care for the morale and welfare of public officials who work tirelessly day and night for the residents." He further promised to break down barriers between departments and support external benchmarking for each public official once a month, expressing his view that "the growth of public officials is the growth of Wando."

"Running as an Independent in the Election, Rejoining the Party After Winning?"…Direct Criticism Aimed at Kim Shin

Woo strongly criticized independent candidate Kim Shin's claim of "rejoining the party after winning." He said, "Running as an independent to win votes during the election, then quietly returning to the Democratic Party after being elected—this kind of political maneuvering must be clearly evaluated in front of the residents."

He continued his criticism, saying, "People are asking why he left the party, why he wants to return, and whether erasing the party label only during the election and putting it back on after winning is the behavior of a responsible politician."

He also reaffirmed the strict stance of the Democratic Party's central committee. Woo said, "The Democratic Party of Korea's central committee has made it an official principle not to allow those who left the party after losing the nomination to rejoin, and party leader Jeong Cheongrae has also emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for independent candidacies after losing the nomination. The notion of rejoining the party after being elected is nothing but empty words that only cause confusion among the residents."

He concluded, "I, Woo Hongseop, am the only legitimate Democratic Party candidate for Wando County Governor, having been chosen honorably through three fierce primary elections."

Woo appealed for support, declaring, "I will transform Wando from a peripheral area for funding into a center of growth. The county governor's office is not a training ground. I will prove the next four years for Wando with concrete results, not just words."

Local political observers are evaluating Woo's press conference as a strategic move that both maximizes the 'ruling party advantage' and targets the independent candidate's Achilles' heel. It remains to be seen whether Wando residents, who are yearning for change, will ultimately choose Woo's 'realism'—emphasizing a one-team approach with the central government and his fourth challenge—or Kim's 'focus on the individual,' which seeks independent survival.

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