[Issue] From Pro-Myung AI Advisor to Progressives and Independents... Six-Way Race in Gwangju Gwangsan-eul By-Election

With the Democratic Party strategically nominating Moonyoung Lim, the standing vice-chairman of the Presidential National AI Strategy Committee, as its candidate for the Gwangsan-eul National Assembly by-election in Gwangju, the race has shifted to a multi-candidate contest involving the ruling and opposition parties, minor parties, and independents. After Assemblyman Min Hyungbae was confirmed as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Mayor and relinquished his parliamentary seat, each party has been finalizing its candidates and accelerating its election campaign.

According to reporting by The Asia Business Daily on May 6, Gwangsan-eul is an electoral district centered around new residential areas such as Cheomdan and Suwan districts, with approximately 220,000 eligible voters. It is considered a constituency that reflects early shifts in regional political trends, as it is home to a relatively young population compared to other areas of Gwangju.

From the top left: Moonyoung Im, Democratic Party candidate; Taewook Ahn, People Power Party candidate; Sujin Bae, Candidate of the Party for Justice. From the bottom left: Jooyeon Jeon, Progressive Party candidate; Jihye Shin, Basic Income Party candidate; Bonki Koo, Independent preliminary candidate. Photo by Bohyun Song, Yonhap News Agency.

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On the morning of the same day, Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheongrae officially announced the nomination of Vice Chairman Lim as the party’s candidate for the Gwangsan-eul by-election during the “Democratic Party Talent Induction Ceremony” held at the National Assembly. The event was attended by Min Hyungbae, the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Mayor candidate, and Yang Bunam, head of the Gwangju City Party Chapter, among others.

Vice Chairman Lim, a native of Gwangju, graduated from Gwangju Salesio High School and Yonsei University’s Department of Political Science and Diplomacy. Known as a first-generation IT expert from Hitel, he has served as Policy Advisor to the Mayor of Seongnam and as Director of Future Growth Policy for Gyeonggi Province. He is currently serving as the standing vice-chairman of the Presidential National AI Strategy Committee.

On the same day, the Justice Innovation Party also officially announced lawyer Sujin Bae’s candidacy for Gwangsan-eul. Bae, a native of Gwangju, graduated from Kyungshin Girls’ High School and Yonsei University’s Department of Political Science and Diplomacy. She earned a master’s degree in public administration from Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Public Administration and a Juris Doctor from Sungkyunkwan University Law School, subsequently passing the second national bar exam.

Bae previously served as an administrator in the Office of the Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs during the Moon Jae-in administration and currently acts as the spokesperson and chair of the party constitution and rules amendment committee for the Justice Innovation Party.

The People Power Party has nominated Taewook Ahn, former head of the Gwangju City Party Chapter, as its sole candidate for Gwangsan-eul.

Ahn has previously worked as a policy research officer at the National Assembly and as president of TBN Gwangju Traffic Broadcasting. He initially prepared to run for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Mayor but shifted his focus to the Gwangsan-eul by-election. The People Power Party described Ahn as “a key talent who has built a strong local base.”

The Progressive Party has confirmed Jooyeon Jeon, former Gwangju City Council member, as its candidate.

In her campaign announcement, Jeon emphasized the need for “healthy competition and political diversity in Jeonnam and Gwangju politics,” highlighting the importance of changing the Democratic Party-centric political structure in the region. After her term as a city council member, she has worked as a labor activist and nursing care worker, pledging to create “a politics with the dual wings of progress and democracy” through this election.

The Basic Income Party has put forward Jihye Shin, who previously served as the party’s co-leader. Shin has been a member of the party leadership since its early days and is currently a senior party official. She has also served as co-chair of Lee Jaemyung’s Seoul presidential campaign headquarters and as a member of the Prime Minister’s Social Reform Committee.

An independent candidate has also joined the race. Bonki Koo, former co-chairman of the Candlelight Action, declared his candidacy, framing this election as one to “settle the issue of insurrection.” Koo is supported by Candlelight Action, led by Pastor Minwoong Kim, the brother of Prime Minister Minseok Kim.

Gwangsan-eul is regarded as a district with a high proportion of young residents and newcomers, especially in areas like Cheomdan and Suwan. Local political observers note that, although the district has traditionally been a Democratic Party stronghold, there is a growing demand for political diversity and generational change. A local political insider commented, “While Democratic Party support remains strong here, there is now a clear sentiment calling for competition in policies and candidates.”

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