[6.3 Election] Integrated Mayor Candidates Begin Official Campaigns on the 21st, Kicking Off the Race for Voters

Min Hyungbae Launches Intensive Rallies in Gwangju, Lee Junghyun Embarks on Gwangju-Jeonnam Marathon
Lee Jongwook Visits Facility Management Corporation, Kang Eunmi Campaigns in Western Jeonnam
Candidates Distinguish Themselves with Visits to May 18 Democratic Cemetery, Early Morning Labor Sites

With the official campaign period for the June 3 local elections set to begin on May 21, the candidates running for the inaugural Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special Mayor are kicking off a 13-day race with distinctly different opening moves. The candidates are seeking to win over voters by visiting the May 18 National Cemetery, greeting workers at dawn, holding intensive rallies in Gwangju, and touring Jeonnam for campaign events.

According to local political circles and other sources on May 20, Min Hyungbae, the Democratic Party candidate, will begin his official campaign with intensive rallies in the Gwangju area.

Candidates running for the position of Mayor of the Integrated Special City of Gwangju, Jeonnam. From the left, Min Hyungbae, Democratic Party candidate; Lee Junghyun, People Power Party candidate; Lee Jongwook, Progressive Party candidate; Kang Eunmi, Justice Party candidate; Kim Kwangman, Independent candidate. Photo by Yonhap News

On May 21, starting at 6 a.m., Min will meet with merchants at Yangdong Market, pay his respects at the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery, and hold a press conference for the Democratic Party's local election launch in front of the Democracy Gate. He will then host a launch ceremony for the Jeonnam Gwangju Transformation Election Committee Gwangju Headquarters and conduct his first street campaign at the Buk-gu Office intersection, followed by visits to key locations in the five districts of Gwangju, including Gwangju-daesa Intersection, Seogu Punggeum Intersection, and the Kookmin Bank intersection in Suwan District, Gwangsan-gu. At 5 p.m., he will attend the Citizens’ Sovereignty Government Joint Declaration Ceremony at the May 18 Democracy Square.

Lee Junghyun, the People Power Party candidate, will campaign across both Gwangju and Jeonnam in a single day for his first day of official campaigning.

Lee will start the day by meeting sanitation workers in Gwangju at dawn, visit the Memorial Tower and the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery, and greet commuters at Gwangju Songjeong Station. He will then visit all five districts of Gwangju before proceeding to Naju Innovation City, Mokpo Station Square, Suncheon, Yeosu National Industrial Complex, and the area near Gwangyang Steel Works. At night, Lee plans to wrap up the first day's schedule by passing through Gurye and finishing in Gokseong.

Lee Jongwook, the Progressive Party candidate, will kick off his official campaign by meeting employees of the Gwangju Buk-gu Facility Management Corporation at dawn. In the morning, he will attend the launch event for the Progressive Party’s Gwangju Metropolitan Office candidates at the May 18 Democracy Square in front of the former Jeonnam Provincial Government building, and visit the Gwangju Office of Education to appeal for support from educational staff. In the afternoon, after media interviews, he will attend the Jeonnam Gwangju Citizens’ Sovereignty City Joint Declaration Ceremony at the May 18 Democracy Square.

Kang Eunmi, the Justice Party candidate, will begin her official campaign with a morning greeting at Mokpo Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office intersection. At 10 a.m., she will attend the Justice Party Jeonnam Gwangju campaign launch event at Formosa Intersection, Mokpo, followed by a lunchtime rally at the Namak Post Office intersection. In the afternoon, her schedule includes a joint press conference for the Citizens’ Sovereignty City Declaration at May 18 Democracy Square and an intensive rally at Gwangju Shinsegae Intersection.

Kim Kwangman, the Independent candidate, plans to launch his first day of campaigning in the eastern region of Jeonnam, focusing on Suncheon, Gwangyang, and Gokseong.

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