Kim Dong-yeon vs Kim Eun-hye, Lee Jae-myung Also Summoned in the Heated Gyeonggi Governor Race

Gyeonggi-do, the Biggest Battleground in Local Elections
Kim Dong-yeon and Kim Eun-hye Engage in Fierce Early Campaign Battle
Contrasting 'Lee Jae-myung Usage'
Kim Dong-yeon "Successor of Lee" vs Kim Eun-hye Targets 'Provincial Government's Lack of Communication' Lee, "Consider the Process Too"
Kim Dong-yeon 43.3%, Kim Eun-hye 43.9%... Neck-and-Neck Race Within 0.6%p Margin of Error

Kim Dong-yeon, Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Gyeonggi Province Governor (left). Kim Eun-hye, People Power Party candidate for Gyeonggi Province Governor (right).

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] The competition between Kim Dong-yeon, the Democratic Party candidate, and Kim Eun-hye, the People Power Party candidate, has begun in Gyeonggi Province, the biggest battleground in the June 1 local elections. Throughout the competition, Lee Jae-myung, the former governor of Gyeonggi Province and a prominent presidential candidate, has been continuously invoked, revealing distinct 'Lee Jae-myung usage methods.' Kim Dong-yeon emphasizes 'Lee Sim' (李心, Lee Jae-myung's intentions), while Kim Eun-hye criticizes the 'Lee Jae-myung administration' to highlight their own presence.

With the candidates for governor of Gyeonggi Province from the two major parties finalized, the local election race has officially started. Former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Kim Dong-yeon was confirmed as the Democratic Party's candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province. After founding the 'New Wave' party and running in the 20th presidential election, Kim declared unification with Lee Jae-myung.

Regarding the unification that took place just a week before the presidential election, Kim explained it as a "starting point for political change." The two agreed on the cause of 'political reform' to break the entrenched politics and pledged policy cooperation. After unification, Kim actively supported Lee's campaign and established himself as a 'political comrade.'

Subsequently, the Democratic Party proposed a merger with New Wave, which Kim, then party leader, accepted. Contemplating runs for Seoul mayor and Gyeonggi governor, Kim chose to run for governor of Gyeonggi Province and was ultimately selected as the candidate through the Democratic Party primary.

Former Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is greeting supporters together with candidate Kim Dong-yeon, who withdrew from the race and joined the support campaign, at the 'Make Yeongdeungpo Number One, Lee Jae-myung Does It!' Yeongdeungpo-focused rally held in front of Times Square in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 3rd of last month.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim has consistently emphasized his connection with Lee Jae-myung while expressing his intention to run in the local elections. Before deciding to run, on May 15, he appeared on YTN Radio's 'Hwang Bo-seon's Starting Morning,' stating, "I do not regret (the unification with Lee) at all," adding, "I met him early the day after the election to offer comfort and spoke with him a few days ago." After being confirmed as the Democratic candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province, on May 28, he said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "I called Lee Jae-myung right after the primary results came out, and he said he would help."

Because Kim continuously mentions Lee, he is seen as riding on 'Lee Sim.' After losing the presidential election, Lee formed a strong political fandom mainly composed of women in their 20s and 30s called 'Gaeddal' (Reform Daughters), achieving the highest vote count in the Democratic Party's presidential history. The 'comeback theory' has been steadily raised, enhancing his presence.

Moreover, Lee's remarkable administrative achievements as the former governor of Gyeonggi Province, such as the Gyeonggi local currency, youth basic income, youth policies, public bus service improvements, and transportation convenience, have contributed to Kim's emphasis on 'Lee Sim.' On the 22nd, at a press conference held at the Gyeonggi Northern Office in Uijeongbu, Kim said, "I support policies promoted by former Governor Lee, such as basic income, public delivery platforms, relocation of public institutions, and toll-free use of the Ilsan Bridge," adding, "I fully agree with the policy direction Lee Jae-myung pursued and will inherit and develop it with Kim Dong-yeon's own color."

Kim Eun-hye, the People Power Party candidate for Gyeonggi Province governor, is speaking at a meeting related to the relocation of Suwon military airport held at the Jeongjo Humanities and Arts Foundation in Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do on the morning of the 26th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the other hand, Kim Eun-hye, the People Power Party candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province, summons Lee by criticizing the 'Lee Jae-myung administration.' On the 28th, she visited the dormitory of Kyonggi University in Suwon, emphasizing, "I will be a governor who communicates." Previously, in December 2020, Lee urgently mobilized Gyeonggi Province dormitories as treatment centers to address the shortage of hospital beds amid the COVID-19 spread, which sparked controversy over 'lack of communication.' At that time, Kyonggi University agreed to provide its entire dormitory with 1,058 rooms as hospital and living treatment facilities for community contribution, but students taking final exams protested.

After visiting Kyonggi University, Kim posted on Facebook, "A student I met today at the dormitory recalled the situation in 2020 when he had just returned from military service and criticized Lee Jae-myung's 'uncommunicative administration,'" adding, "The governor's position is not one to recklessly charge forward to achieve goals. I, Kim Eun-hye, will be a governor whose process as well as results are beautiful." This appears to be an attempt to differentiate herself by downplaying Lee's administration, which was known for swift and bold decision-making.

Lee Jae-myung, Standing Advisor of the Democratic Party (right), and President-elect Yoon Seok-youl (left). The photo was taken on the evening of the 2nd of last month at the KBS headquarters studio in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, during the 3rd social sector broadcast debate for the 20th presidential election candidates hosted by the National Election Commission. [Image source=Yonhap News]

As a result, Kim Dong-yeon and Kim Eun-hye have been calling each other 'Lee Jae-myung avatar' and 'Yoon Seok-yeol avatar,' respectively, engaging in daily sharp exchanges and early election battles over qualifications for governor. After being confirmed as the People Power Party candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province on the 25th, Kim Eun-hye appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and criticized, "The so-called 'Lee Jae-myung avatar' competition among Democratic candidates will surely boomerang in the general election."

In response, Kim Dong-yeon appeared on the same program on the 27th and retorted to Kim Eun-hye, "Don't you often hear that she is a 'Yoon Seok-yeol avatar' spokesperson?" adding, "There are many issues that could become political disputes, such as prosecution reform and ministerial appointments. I'm worried the election will turn into factional logic and framing." This was interpreted as a reference to the controversy over 'Yoon Sim' (尹心, President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's intentions) when Kim Eun-hye, a first-term candidate, defeated former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, a heavyweight, to become the People Power Party candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province.

Kim Dong-yeon also criticized Kim Eun-hye's qualifications. He said, "Kim Eun-hye has limited national government experience and has not directly handled economic management, national finances, or livelihood-related matters, so I worry that the contest will shift toward political disputes rather than focusing on residents' quality of life or the future."

Kim Eun-hye's camp immediately pushed back. Hwang Gyu-hwan, spokesperson for Kim Eun-hye's campaign, said, "Kim Dong-yeon disparaged her by saying she has 'limited national government experience' and incited political strife with provocative rhetoric like 'Yoon Seok-yeol avatar.' While claiming to run a policy-focused election, he is sticking to old-fashioned politics that confuse the public's eyes and ears."

Meanwhile, public opinion polls also show a fierce race within the margin of error between the two. On the 29th, Asia Economy commissioned Realmeter to conduct a poll from the 27th to 28th among 1,010 men and women aged 18 or older residing in Gyeonggi Province (90% mobile, 10% landline, automated response method, with a sampling error of ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level). When asked about the most suitable candidate for the next governor of Gyeonggi Province, Kim Dong-yeon received 43.3%, and Kim Eun-hye received 43.9%, with a gap of 0.6 percentage points, within the margin of error. Detailed survey information can be found on the Realmeter website or the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.