The Democratic Party of Korea nomination management committee on the 24th entered the second day of interviews for preliminary candidates for metropolitan mayors and governors. Following interviews the previous day with preliminary candidates for Seoul mayor, interviews on this day were conducted for preliminary candidates for provincial governors and mayors, including the Gyeonggi governor.
The Democratic Party of Korea nomination management committee will conduct interviews from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a total of 26 preliminary candidates from Gyeonggi, South Chungcheong, North Chungcheong, South Jeolla, North Jeolla, South Gyeongsang, North Gyeongsang, and Jeju.
The closely watched Gyeonggi governor primary is expected to be a five-way race. Incumbent Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon, along with Yang Gi-dae, Kwon Chil-seung, Han Jun-ho, and Choo Mi-ae, threw their hats in the ring. Earlier, Rep. Kim Byung-joo announced on the 22nd that he would not run, narrowing the field to five. All five Gyeonggi governor candidates—Kwon Chil-seung, Kim Dong-yeon, Yang Gi-dae, Choo Mi-ae, and Han Jun-ho—attended the interview.
Before the interview, Governor Kim Dong-yeon met with reporters and said, "I will explain in detail the vision and policies I have for Gyeonggi Province's future development."
Rep. Yang Gi-dae said, "The June 3 local elections are an election to completely root out the Yoon Suk-yeol insurrection," adding, "We must eradicate the insurrectionary forces." He went on, "We need to remove the seeds of various preferential-treatment suspicions that Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee have sown in Gyeonggi Province." He added, "In the interview, I will present policy alternatives that will dramatically change the lives of Gyeonggi residents and explain Yang Gi-dae's competitiveness."
Rep. Han Jun-ho said, "I plan to speak mainly about the attitude and vision with which I will approach the governor's race and the briefly announced pledges," adding, "I will focus on explaining how to make the Lee Jae-myung administration's pragmatism succeed through balanced regional development in Gyeonggi Province."
Rep. Kwon Chil-seung and Rep. Choo Mi-ae entered party headquarters for the interview without issuing separate statements.