Jang Dong-hyuk Visits Gangwon: "We Will Open a Bigger Future"... Kim Jin-tae Says "300 Gangwon Candidates Are Anxious"

On April 22, Donghyeok Jang, leader of the People Power Party, visited Yangyang in Gangwon Province to announce region-specific pledges and engage directly with local issues. However, with about 40 days left until the local elections, concerns are mounting in the region. Some areas are distancing themselves from Jang and pursuing independent approaches. Kim Jin-tae, the party's candidate for governor of Gangwon Province, openly criticized Jang, saying, "Please return to being the impressive Donghyeok Jang of the past."

On the 22nd, Governor Jin-Tae Kim of Gangwon Province visited the Sosan-ri Fishing Village Community Center in Sanyang-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Province. When he sharply criticized the leadership, Donghyeok Jang, leader of the People Power Party, was taking notes. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

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The People Power Party leadership visited the Sosan-ri Fishing Village Community Center in Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Province, to announce the "Time for Gangwon to Rise, Promises for a Special Life" field pledges. The event was attended by party leader Donghyeok Jang, members of the party leadership, Governor Jin-tae Kim, and other local figures. This was Jang’s second on-site visit since the start of the June 3 local election phase, following his visit to Incheon, and his first field activity after returning from his 8-night, 10-day trip to the United States.

Jang presented regional pledges, including ▲a transportation revolution to bring Gangwon within a one-hour access radius, ▲promotion of a local development project based on advanced medical industries, ▲transforming Taebaek and Samcheok into new growth hubs, and ▲developing the East Coast as a forward base for the hydrogen economy. He stated, "We cannot entrust Gangwon’s administration and development to parachute candidates who have lived their entire lives with no connection to Gangwon Province." He added, "The People Power Party will transform Gangwon’s industries and open up a greater future for Gangwon residents and the province."

Despite Jang’s efforts to win local votes, the atmosphere within the party is not positive. In key regions such as Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Busan, there have been announcements of plans to form independent election committees, separate from the central party, and autonomous actions are continuing in various areas. At the on-site Supreme Council meeting held in Incheon on April 6, some members openly criticized Jang. Although no on-site Supreme Council meeting was held this time due to concerns about local criticism, dissenting voices persisted.

Governor Kim said, "Many people tell me, 'I’ve always supported the conservative party, but just thinking about the central party makes me so angry that I don’t want to vote.'" He continued, "At first, I thought it would be enough if I worked hard on my own, but the party still needs to provide some support. If those people don’t show up at the polling stations, we have no hope." He also added, "Around 300 of our party’s candidates in Gangwon probably feel the same way."

Governor Kim emphasized, "Even after spending all day on my feet, there are many times my heart sinks whenever a national news story breaks. From the perspective of candidates whose fate will be decided in just 42 days, it is truly nerve-wracking." He continued, "I have a long relationship with Jang, and we relied on each other a lot when we served together on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, but in life, the more you try to hold on, the further things slip away. Please return to being the impressive Donghyeok Jang of the past. It’s time to resolve what you started."

Meanwhile, after announcing their pledges, Jang and Governor Kim planned to visit Namae Port in Yangyang to participate in volunteer work organizing fishing nets. Additionally, they reviewed the status of duty-free fuel support for fishermen and listened to local residents' concerns. Park Sunghoon, the party’s chief spokesperson, said, "We are checking whether targeted livelihood budgets, such as duty-free fuel support essential for fishermen suffering from high oil prices, are being neglected because of indiscriminate spending on nationwide livelihood support funds."

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