Independent Jeonbuk governor candidate Kim Kwan-young said in an interview with ChosunBiz on the 19th, "Watching party leader Jung Chung-rae's nomination process this time, everyone agreed it was 'injustice,'" and "If you don't resist this, you stand on the side of evil. You become a coward."
Kim cited "whether the same standards and the same procedures were applied" as the reason he judged the nomination process to be unfair, saying, "In my case, it quickly led to expulsion without sufficient opportunity to explain, while even though the need to supplement the investigation into the allegation that candidate Lee Won-taek's side paid for a meal was raised within the party, the primary went ahead as is."
He said, "There is a question of whether the decision to expel a sitting governor, thereby even limiting residents' choices, was truly fair," adding, "The result of this election is residents judging the leadership of Jung Chung-rae."
-You argued the nomination process was unfair. What is the basis for that judgment?
"The crux is whether the same standards and the same procedures were applied. My case quickly led to expulsion without sufficient opportunity to explain, and although even within the party there were calls to strengthen the investigation into the allegation that candidate Lee Won-taek's side paid for a meal, the primary proceeded as is. From the perspective of Jeonbuk residents, this nomination had no explanation, no fairness, no Jeonbuk public sentiment, and no residents' right to choose. The result of this election is residents judging the leadership of Jung Chung-rae."
-What led you to decide to run as an independent?
"I wanted to be a vessel that holds the hearts of residents protesting unfairness, a firestarter. Over the past four years, we opened a channel for Jeonbuk's development, and I felt a responsibility to continue and complete it. Continuity matters in administration."
-The Democratic Party is said to be sending a covert inspection team to Jeonbuk to find those helping you.
"If that's the plan, start by disciplining former senior secretary Lee Ho-cheol, who openly supported Cho Kuk. Must Democratic Party members support only the Democratic Party? You have to nominate a proper candidate to earn support, don't you? The nomination process is this unfair and a mess, so forcing people to support the Democratic Party's candidate is absurd."
-You were cleared of the allegation of aiding and abetting insurrection.
"It is regrettable that not only I but also the Jeonbuk provincial government and public officials were placed under an insurrection frame. Since the special counsel determined there was no charge regarding the allegation that candidate Lee Won-taek raised, even invoking my political life, it is now time to provide a responsible explanation to residents."
-Among your four years of provincial administration, which policy do you rate the best and which leaves regrets?
"The four years of the eighth popularly elected term were a time when Jeonbuk regained confidence that it can do it. The biggest achievements are the launch of Jeonbuk State, the era of 10 trillion won in national funding, and 27 trillion won in investment attraction. There are also the Hyundai Motor Group Saemangeum investment agreement, physical AI, a specialized complex for secondary batteries, a 1 trillion won venture fund, and the selection of Jeonju as a domestic candidate city for the 2036 Summer Olympics. A regret is that these achievements have not yet been sufficiently connected to jobs and income that residents can feel. If the eighth term was a time of sowing seeds, the ninth term must be a time to turn the seeds into the fruits of jobs, income, and future industries."
-What are the key economic pledges in this election?
"Attracting 50 trillion won in investment over four years and attracting 15 large corporations. We will build a global advanced industry platform in Saemangeum based on RE100, and establish a future-industry ecosystem that links physical AI, robots, hydrogen, defense, bio, secondary-battery downstream industries, and the agri-bio industry. We will provide one-stop support from permits, sites, manpower, and finance to residential conditions and factory operation.
We welcome the idea of transferring the semiconductor cluster to Saemangeum. Saemangeum is the optimal site for advanced industries with renewable energy, large-scale industrial land, and the ability to meet RE100. There are limits to relying solely on pulling power from the capital region."
-If elected, do you plan to rejoin the Democratic Party?
"I did not reject the primary nor voluntarily quit in protest of the nomination result. I was expelled by the leadership of Jung Chung-rae, and even after expulsion, I was someone who filed for an injunction to suspend the effect of the expulsion to remain in the party. As long as the leadership of Jung Chung-rae remains, I have no intention of applying to rejoin. That said, I am not denying the values of the Democratic Party or the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration, and I will work pragmatically with the ruling party and the government on Jeonbuk's pending issues. If, going forward, the Democratic Party restores fairness and democracy and stands as a party that respects the choices of Jeonbuk residents, then I will decide based not on my personal gain or loss but on residents' will and Jeonbuk's interests."
☞Who is Kim Kwan-young
Born in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do, he graduated from the business administration department at Sungkyunkwan University. He passed the certified public accountant exam in 1988, the higher civil service exam in 1991, and the bar exam in 1999. He entered politics by winning a National Assembly seat representing Gunsan, Jeonbuk, in the 19th general election in 2012, then switched affiliation to the People's Party and won reelection in the same district in 2020. Ahead of the 2022 20th presidential election, he rejoined the Democratic Party of Korea to help candidate Lee Jae-myung, and in the same year he ran for and was elected Jeonbuk governor.