Statement and Rebuttal by So Byeong-cheol and No Gwan-gyu

Candidate Nogwan-gyu Must Immediately Stop 'Habitual Party Defection', Division, and Factionalism

Candidate Nogwan-gyu Is Not the One for Assemblyman Sobyeong-cheol, Who Caused the Problem, to Speak

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Congressman So Byeong-cheol expressed regret over candidate Noh Gwan-gyu's departure from the Democratic Party and declaration of candidacy, to which candidate Noh responded by saying, "To put Congressman So Byeong-cheol's statement in one word, it is a 'lack of empathy.'"

Congressman So stated, "Despite the allegations raised so far being proven groundless, candidate Noh's repeated claims of 'unfair nomination' are a feeble excuse for running as an independent."

In response, candidate Noh said, "If the citizens of Suncheon reprimand me, I will fully acknowledge it, humbly accept it, and apologize," adding, "This is not something Congressman So Byeong-cheol, who caused all these issues, should be saying."

He continued, "You said the allegations raised so far have been proven groundless, but which allegations exactly have been proven false?" and asked, "How was Noh Gwan-gyu, who ranked first in the citizen opinion poll and was specially admitted without penalty due to his contribution as an aide to candidate Lee Jae-myung during the presidential election process, excluded from the nomination process?"

Congressman So clarified, "Candidate Noh's elimination from the primary was a decision made by the 'Central Party Emergency Committee,' not the local party committee."

Candidate Noh then stated, "The Central Party Reconsideration Committee has confirmed that exclusion from the Jeonnam Provincial Party's nomination process violated the party's constitution and regulations," adding, "I would like to ask on what fair grounds the Emergency Committee designated the four strategic districts, and whether this is what Congressman So Byeong-cheol refers to as 'groundless allegations.'"

Congressman So said, "When candidate Noh rejoined the Democratic Party on April 9, he promised the citizens of Suncheon that he would do his best to foster greater unity within the Suncheon local committee centered around the chairperson," and "He also promised to compete in the mayoral primary with a spirit of harmony. However, before the ink on his rejoining application dried, he broke his promise by declaring his departure and independent candidacy again."

Candidate Noh responded, "Stop branding me with cruel scarlet letters. During the 2018 general election preparations, there was a constitutional violation in the redistricting that detached a part of Haeryong-myeon in Suncheon, and the Suncheon district where I registered as a candidate was dismantled," adding, "Congressman So Byeong-cheol is the one who came through the Democratic Party's strategic parachute nomination," and said he left the Democratic Party as if being driven out and endured the pain of defeat with his whole body.

He continued, "This nomination process is even more unacceptable to anyone. Yet, can you cruelly brand me with the truly unfair scarlet letters of 'habitual defection, division, and splitting'?" and said, "I spoke of 'harmony' and held a 'vision declaration ceremony' to lead the election as a policy contest. Raising issues like 'absurdity' over the policy pledge to attract Starfield to the Shindae district does not seem like the behavior of a congressman."