Lee Yong-seop Declares Re-election Bid for Gwangju Mayor... Registers as Preliminary Candidate

First Schedule 5·18 Cemetery Visit "We Will Complete a Bigger and Stronger, People's Nation Gwangju"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, officially declared his bid for re-election by registering as a preliminary candidate for the nationwide local elections scheduled for June 1.

The preliminary candidate personally submitted the registration documents to the Gwangju Metropolitan City Election Commission at 9 a.m. on the 31st.

His first schedule afterward was to pay respects at the National May 18th Democratic Cemetery.

In the guestbook, he wrote, “I will complete a bigger and stronger Gwangju, a country of people where the spirit of May lives and breathes, become a key player in regime change, and open a new future for the next 100 years,” expressing his determination to win.

At the memorial, leaders of the three May 18 organizations (Kim Young-hoon, President of the May 18 Democratic Martyrs’ Families Association; Hwang Il-bong, President of the May 18 Democratic Movement Disabled Veterans Association; Lim Jong-soo, President of the May 18 Meritorious Persons Association), Park Young-soon, the first President of the May 18 Democratic Movement Disabled Veterans Association, Lee Sung-gil, former President of the May 18 Detained Disabled Veterans Association, Lee Myung-ja, former Director of the May Mothers’ House, and many May families attended in large numbers, sharing the intention to inherit and develop the history of Uihyang Gwangju.

The preliminary candidate stated, “I will strengthen the status of Gwangju as a world-renowned city of democracy, human rights, and peace, and establish a milestone for democracy through the investigation of the truth about May 18 and setting history straight.”

Additionally, representatives from disability organizations, including Moon Sang-pil, President of the Korea Disabled Shooting Federation; Jeong Jin-sam, President of the Gwangju Disabled Culture Association; Lee In-chun, former President of the Gwangju Disabled Federation; Kang Kyung-sik, Representative of the Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against the Disabled; Moon Kyung-yang, President of the Gwangju Disabled Art Association; Bae Kwang-sik, Chairman of the Gwangju Nam-gu Disabled Association; and Nam Han-woo, Chairman of the Gwangju Gwangsan-gu Disabled Association, also participated in the memorial, expressing active support by saying, “Over the past four years, having Mayor Lee Yong-seop by our side has made disabled people truly happy.”

The preliminary candidate said, “Disability welfare is a measure of a city’s level,” adding, “Continuing from the 7th to the 8th term of the elected administration, disabled people must be happy for Gwangju to be happy, and I will do my utmost to complete a warm Gwangju community where not a single person is left behind.”

In addition, about 300 supporters accompanied the memorial, including Oh Joo, former Chairman of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council; Jeong Sang-yong, former National Assembly member; Lim Woo-jin, former Seo-gu District Mayor; Jo Yoon-jung, Chairperson of the Women’s Vision Network; Choi Young-tae, former Dean of the College of Humanities at Chonnam National University; Jo Jeong-rae, Representative of the Gwangju Transportation and Economic Organizations Council; Lee Eun-bang, former Chairman of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council; Jeong Yong-hwa and Won Soon-seok, former Presidents of the Gwangmin Association; Jeong Moo-jung, former Chairman of the Gwangju Marine Corps Veterans Association; Jeong Mong-seok, Energy Management Master; and Jeong Hyeong-hyun, Chairman of the Aphae Jeong Clan Jeonnam Relatives Association.

While leading Gwangju’s administration during the 7th elected term, the preliminary candidate demonstrated that a city that leads democratization can also become an economically favorable city for businesses by achieving the success of the Gwangju-type jobs, advancing as a representative city of artificial intelligence, and realizing a family-friendly Gwangju where it is good to have and raise children, all aimed at “a just and prosperous Gwangju.”

Based on his past achievements, Lee Yong-seop plans to focus on completing the “Green Smart Fun City” in the 8th elected term by achieving a quantitative transformation through the integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam, establishing an East-West super metropolitan economic zone connecting Gwangju and Daegu, and dramatically improving urban competitiveness and citizens’ quality of life.