[Local Election Interview] Kim Younghwan: "Supporters Uniting Against Arrogant Ruling Party... North Chungcheong Will Be Korea's Alternative"

On Party Turmoil: "Shaking the Chairman Only Benefits President Lee"

On Shin Yonghan: "No Experience or Achievements to Lead the Province"

"Special Prosecutor for Withdrawal of Prosecution Is the Turning Point... Supporters Will Rally"

"Did you say that 8 to 9 out of 10 people don't know about the special prosecutor for the withdrawal of prosecution? The arrogance of the Democratic Party is actually improving the mood. If our supporters come out to vote, we will see fierce competition across the country, including in North Chungcheong."

Kim Younghwan, the People Power Party candidate for Governor of North Chungcheong Province, said in an interview with The Asia Business Daily at his campaign office in Cheongju, North Chungcheong, on May 12, "North Chungcheong has ranked first nationwide in all key indicators such as birth rate, employment rate, unemployment rate, and gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate because our reform policies have been successful. If I'm elected as governor again, I will work tirelessly as the governor representing all of Korea," he stated.

Kim, who hails from Goesan in North Chungcheong, entered the National Assembly in 1996, contributed to the election victory of the late President Kim Dae-jung, and served as Minister of Science and Technology, but later moved to a conservative party after conflicts with the pro-Roh and pro-Moon factions. After forming a connection with former President Yoon Suk Yeol, he ran for the 2022 local elections and was elected governor of North Chungcheong.

Kim first addressed the difficulty of being confirmed as a candidate after facing a cut-off (nomination exclusion) and filing for an injunction, saying, "I am disappointed, but if I try to shake Chairman Jang now, both I and the party will lose, and only President Lee Jaemyung will benefit. Just as Chunhyang could only resolve her sorrow by marrying Lee Mongryong, not by seeking revenge on Magistrate Byeon, we must look forward," he said.

He also commented on his rival, Democratic Party candidate Shin Yonghan: "He is a candidate with only vague credentials, like a baby's breath in the air. He does not have any experience or achievements that would make him qualified to take responsibility for North Chungcheong, which has a budget of 9 trillion won and a population of 1.6 million. Even if he claims to love President Lee, it is not President Lee who is running in this election," he said.

Regarding the ruling party's move to slow down the special prosecutor for the withdrawal of prosecution, he said, "In a country with a literacy rate of 99%, who would fail to understand that they're trying to delay it for election purposes? The special prosecutor for the withdrawal of prosecution will be a turning point in the election," he said.

On the ruling party putting forward 'settling the rebellion' in relation to the 12·3 Martial Law, he said, "What is clear is that the martial law was wrong. Still, it's not as if former President Yoon and Kim Keonhee are in prison. I see it as virtually the same as posthumous punishment, and I don't think it will resonate," he said.

Kim also presented his pledges for North Chungcheong, including: ▲Establishing a dedicated civilian runway at Cheongju Airport ▲Establishing the Osong K-Bio Square ▲Building a dome stadium in Osong. He said, "If I'm re-elected as governor, I will start building a dedicated civilian runway at Cheongju Airport through private investment within one year. Just as our welfare policy of 'working meal providers' has succeeded, I will seek ways to help Korea overcome its risk of demographic decline through North Chungcheong," he stated.

The following is a Q&A with candidate Kim.

▲Now that the election campaign is in full swing, how do you see the current race?

=The residents are fully aware of the current situation. Regarding the special prosecutor bill for the withdrawal of prosecution against President Lee Jaemyung, a Democratic Party lawmaker said 'the people do not know,' but there is no way the public is unaware of such a significant issue. The Democratic Party is acting arrogantly and high-handedly, and ironically, this is actually boosting the mood for the People Power Party. Compared to the start of the campaign, our supporters are more motivated and, rather than giving up, are more likely to go to the polls.

▲The ruling party is proposing to postpone the special prosecutor for the withdrawal of prosecution until after the election.

=We conducted a parliamentary inquiry for the special prosecutor, and immediately after it ended, the special prosecutor bill was introduced. The ruling party hasn't declared that it won't do it. They are saying it should be done after the election, but in a country where the literacy rate is 99%, who wouldn't recognize that this is just an election ploy?

▲How do you evaluate the current state of the People Power Party?

=People are telling us not to fight. But if you listen carefully, the biggest problem comes from the so-called 'Han Donghoon faction.' Even under these difficult conditions, internal divisions are becoming visible, and legacy media is stoking these tensions, making the situation more difficult.

▲There was a lot of noise during the nomination process.

=Although I was disappointed, I don't think Chairman Jang Donghyuk or former Nomination Committee Chairman Lee Junghyun attempted the cut-off to help Democratic Party candidate Shin Yonghan or President Lee Jaemyung. Just as former emergency committee chairman Kim Jongin did, I believe the cut-off was intended to refresh the party through a 'storm of change.' As party leader or nominations chair, there are times when difficult decisions must be made, even if they are not always the best. They thought cutting me would save the party, so I cannot take it personally. I am trying to look at the bigger picture.

▲How do you view Chairman Jang Donghyuk's leadership?

=It's like 'Solomon's judgment.' Although I was disappointed, if I try to shake Chairman Jang, both I and the party will lose, and only President Lee Jaemyung will benefit. I have to save both the party and the country. Some say, 'Don't you have any pride?' But I believe that winning the election and saving our party is more important than venting my anger. Ironically, this is something I learned from the late President Kim Dae-jung. Would Chunhyang's anger be resolved by taking revenge on Magistrate Byeon? Her sorrow could only be resolved by marrying Lee Mongryong.

▲There is a significant gap in approval ratings between you and candidate Shin Yonghan.

=This is an optical illusion caused by our base not responding due to temporary despair. In current ARS (automated response system) polls, the approval rating is about 50% to 30%, and in telephone interview surveys, it's about 40% to 20%. If our core supporters don't turn out, the result will look like the phone interview polls, but if they do, the gap will narrow. Unless President Lee Jaemyung makes a serious mistake, the outcome is hard to predict, but he is already creating controversies. The turning point will be the special prosecutor for the withdrawal of prosecution. In the final stage, the 'judgment on the administration' narrative will come to the forefront and fierce competition will unfold everywhere.

▲How do you evaluate candidate Shin Yonghan?

=Rather than saying he is unprepared, I just don't know what he has done. In the 2018 local elections, I had fierce debates with President Lee Jaemyung, but he had a background as a human rights lawyer, civic activist, and the mayor of Seongnam. However, Shin Yonghan only has vague credentials like baby's breath floating in the air. There is no experience, preparation, achievement, or track record that would qualify him to take responsibility for North Chungcheong Province, with its annual budget of 9 trillion won and a population of 1.6 million. All I know is that he claims to love President Lee Jaemyung. But it's not President Lee running for governor of North Chungcheong.

▲What is your assessment of the allegations that candidate Shin violated the Public Official Election Act?

=If this controversy is simply swept under the rug, it will highlight the problems of the National Election Commission and the police, who are already distrusted by the public, and it will affect the entire election. It's not an issue that can be ignored, and thinking you can win by covering it up is an arrogant attitude. In my own case, I was investigated for bribery for eight months based only on the recording of a third party. It's unacceptable for the police to remain silent. The investigative authorities just need to clarify the facts.

▲How do you assess the 12·3 Martial Law?

=It has been 500 days since the 12·3 Martial Law occurred. It has also been one year since President Lee Jaemyung took office, and trials are ongoing. The results should be left to history. But what is clear is that the martial law was wrong. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol should have endured further despite the opposition's endless obstruction and impeachment attempts, and should not have chosen martial law as an option.

▲The ruling party is attacking you for your past ties to former President Yoon, citing rebellion.

=For the rebellion narrative to work, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keonhee, and former Prime Minister Han Ducksoo would have to be outside (of prison), but that's not the case now. It's like posthumous punishment. And wasn't it a failed attempt to put me in jail? It's a representative case of political retaliation.

▲The ruling party is also making an issue of your judicial risks as governor.

=In my 70 years, I have no criminal record. Not even a single drunk driving or fine. I have faced four allegations, but all were dismissed, not prosecuted, or rejected. I have never been indicted. They call it a judicial risk, but it's just a frame.

▲Which of your pledges received the most positive evaluations during your term?

=North Chungcheong is actively seeking alternatives to overcome Korea's demographic crisis. If you follow North Chungcheong's example, you'll succeed. If I become governor of North Chungcheong, I will serve as a role model for the entire nation. North Chungcheong ranks first nationwide in birth rate and employment rate, and has the lowest unemployment rate. The GRDP growth rate is also first at 4.4%. This is because reform policies in the region have succeeded. A representative policy is the 'working meal providers' program. It's not welfare that spends money, but welfare that earns money. Around 5,000 senior citizens in the province participate in this program, earning 15,000 won a day while working. The sense of fulfillment has also helped reduce medical expenses, and as incomes have increased, sales at traditional markets have also risen. Investing 7 to 8 billion won returned as much as 50 billion won. President Lee's 'basic income' is a policy that spends and distributes money, but North Chungcheong's 'working meal providers' is a policy that recirculates money.

▲You pledged to build a dedicated civilian runway at Cheongju Airport.

=The idea is to give the two runways at the military-civilian Cheongju Airport to the Air Force's 17th Fighter Wing and build a separate civilian-only runway. With the current runways, neither long-distance routes nor cargo flights are possible. All the land is owned by the province, and since the runway construction is a civil engineering project, a budget of about 1 trillion won should suffice. Despite instability in the Middle East, 4.67 million people used Cheongju Airport last year alone. There is enough economic viability that global funds are approaching to invest. Since the plan is to use private investment, the government only needs to grant approval. If elected, I will break ground within a year.

▲There has been debate about building a dome stadium in Osong.

=Again, economic viability is key for the dome stadium. If the numbers work, it can be built without spending a single won of public money. Osong is the best location: only Osong can be reached within an hour from Seoul, Daegu, Daejeon, and other cities. For example, the Osco Exhibition Center is booked solid year-round. Even political parties host their conventions in Osong. If a dome stadium is built, teams will compete to use it even if it's not their home stadium. The estimated budget is 500 to 600 billion won, but this year alone, SK hynix is required to pay more than 1 trillion won in local taxes to Cheongju City. The budget is more than sufficient, and if there is any shortfall, it can be covered through housing development and other measures.

▲Please explain your strategy for establishing the Osong K-Bio Square.

=The Boston Bio Cluster in the United States covers an area of about 780,000 pyeong (2.59 square kilometers) and is home to MIT and Harvard University. In comparison, Osong K-Bio Square will cover about 1.17 million pyeong, and projects are planned for KAIST and a new bio campus. We are also preparing to build a clinical hospital with Seoul National University. The required funding is about 800 billion won, but because the outlook is promising for treating rare diseases and developing new drugs, there are plenty of investors. Through these research institutions, we plan to deploy more than 6,000 master's and doctoral-level personnel. In addition, Chungbuk National University operates a quantum research center, and a multi-purpose synchrotron accelerator is already under construction in Ochang. Once Osong K-Bio Square is fully operational, I believe it will become a new growth engine surpassing even Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.