Rep. Joo Cheol-hyeon of the Democratic Party of Korea (Yeosu A) declared a run for Jeollanam-do governor in next year's local elections.
At a press conference at the Choui Room of the Jeonnam Provincial Council on the 22nd, Rep. Joo said, "A true worker is needed to save Jeonnam, which is collapsing," and declared, "Together with residents, I will open a new future for Jeonnam."
Rep. Joo noted, "Jeonnam's population has fallen for eight straight years, from 1.9 million in 2017 to 1.78 million as of August this year," and diagnosed, "With the steep population decline, 16 of Jeonnam's 17 counties have been designated population-decline areas, putting Jeonnam in crisis."
Joo said, "Only if Jeonnam is changed to Joo Cheol-hyeon, who truly communicates with President Lee Jae-myung, can we save Jeonnam," adding, "With administrative capacity proven by results, original pro-Lee Jae-myung Joo Cheol-hyeon, who is loyal and has worked with President Lee Jae-myung, will revive it again."
Rep. Joo is a two-term lawmaker and former mayor of Yeosu who served six years on the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee. He has served as a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, chair of the Human Rights Committee, chair of the Jeonnam Basic Society Committee, and chair of the Jeonnam Provincial Party. The Democratic Party requires that city and provincial party chairs resign eight months before local elections to run in them. For Joo, he must resign as Jeonnam Provincial Party chair by Oct. 2 to run for Jeollanam-do governor; on this day, he moved quickly to announce both his resignation as provincial party chair and his bid for Jeollanam-do governor.
With Joo's declaration, announcements by Democratic Party city and provincial party chairs that they will run in the local elections are expected to follow. Political circles expect that about six to seven of the 17 Democratic Party city and provincial party chairs will enter the local races.