Governor Won Hee-ryong "Will Not Run in Next Year's Local Elections"... Starting Presidential Bid

Jeju Province Governor Won Hee-ryong is expressing his intention not to run in the local elections next June during the plenary session of the Jeju Provincial Council on the 21st.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters (Jeju) Reporter Park Chang-won] Won Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju Province, declared on the 21st that he will not run in the local elections scheduled for June next year.

On the morning of the same day, at the 394th extraordinary session of the Jeju Provincial Council, when Assemblyman Yang Young-sik asked about his intention to run for a third term, Governor Won stated, "I will not run in next year's gubernatorial election."

When Assemblyman Yang Young-sik asked Governor Won, "Is your frequent visits to Seoul related to a presidential bid?" Governor Won replied, "Since my re-election in 2018, I have been working to resolve various issues in Jeju Province and to make it a treasure island recognized worldwide," adding, "(With) one year left in my term, the responsibility of provincial administration is not light, so I am striving to fulfill my duties," avoiding a direct answer.

He continued, "On the other hand, as a politician, I feel a responsibility for a greater leap for Jeju and national development, so I believe I must devote efforts to the upcoming political schedule," and "I am considering how to avoid any gaps in provincial administration," leaving room for interpretation.

Governor Won emphasized, "What I can clearly say here is that having managed the provincial administration twice, it is appropriate to hand over next year's election and administration to new leadership," and stressed, "I will not run in next year's gubernatorial election."

When asked about the timing of his resignation from the governor's office, he was reserved, saying, "The responsibility and influence of the governor's position are by no means light. I think it is premature to speak about this at this point."

Regarding Governor Won's recent remarks, a close aide said, "Please interpret this as a reaffirmation of Governor Won's intention to run for the presidency." Governor Won's declaration of not running in the local election is effectively interpreted as indicating his intention to pursue a presidential bid.