Governor Kim Young-rok Expected to Register as Preliminary Candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special Mayor Next Week

by Sim Jinseok

Published 04 Mar.2026 16:57(KST)

Unified Special Mayor Election Enters Full-Fledged Competition

Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province

Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, is expected to register as a preliminary candidate for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special Mayor election ahead of the June 3 local elections next week. The race for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special Mayor is anticipated to enter a full-fledged competitive phase.

According to Jeollanam-do officials on March 4, Governor Kim will register as a preliminary candidate for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special Mayor election next week. The specific date is expected to be either March 9 or 10.

Once the preliminary candidate registration process is completed, all of Governor Kim's powers as governor will be suspended in accordance with relevant regulations. In his place, Hwang Ki-yeon, Vice Governor for Administrative Affairs, will act as the governor.

It is also reported that 10 members of Jeollanam-do's political affairs team, who have assisted Governor Kim, have collectively submitted their resignations and begun preparing for the election.

Local political circles have analyzed Governor Kim's decision as an expression of his intent to pave the way for the first unified mayor in history by preparing for the election as swiftly as possible.