Independent Jeonbuk governor candidate Kim Kwan-young held a campaign committee camp opening ceremony on the 16th.
That afternoon, Kim held the opening ceremony for the "Provincial residents' campaign committee" camp on Ssukgogae-ro in Wansan-gu, Jeonju.
Attending the opening ceremony were Kang Hyun-wook, former Jeonbuk governor and an adviser to the campaign committee; former lawmakers Jang Se-hwan, Lee Sang-ok, Chae Soo-chan and Jeon Jung-hee; Doo Jae-gyun, former president of Jeonbuk National University; and supporters. Organizers estimated a total of 5,000 people gathered.
Kim said, "The provincial residents who attended today came with the resolve to decide Jeonbuk's future on their own without directions from a party," adding, "We must prove that Jeonbuk's choice is made by provincial residents, not by a party."
Aiming at Lee Won-taek of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is expected to be his opponent in the election, Kim said, "How can someone who labeled Jeonbuk—the holy ground of the Donghak movement and the root of democracy—and its provincial residents as complicit in insurrection, then changed words and dodged responsibility when the truth came out in a special counsel probe, be responsible for the provincial residents and represent Jeonbuk?"
He went on, "(Lee Won-taek is) a candidate by Jung Chung-rae, for Jung Chung-rae," adding, "As the provincial residents' candidate, I will win confidently and open a great leap forward for Jeonbuk."
Kim Myeong-ji, chief general manager of candidate Kim Kwan-young's campaign, also said, "This election is about choosing a faithful representative of Jeonbuk's provincial residents, not an avatar of Jung Chung-rae," adding, "Please give overwhelming support to Kim Kwan-young, the politician most similar to President Lee, whose capability and performance have been verified through a pragmatic line."