"The 100,000 Won You Received, Doubled or Tripled
Only the Residents Suffer from Election Costs as Taxes"
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Wook] Seong Gi-wook, a preliminary candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, officially declared his candidacy for the Changnyeong County Governor by-election scheduled for April 5, following the extreme choice of former Changnyeong County Governor Kim Bu-young.
On the 16th at 11 a.m., Candidate Seong held a press conference at the county office briefing room and opened by saying, “Changnyeong has been stained by corruption in every local election and has failed to complete terms, so the residents perceive the county governor by-election as a mere rite of passage.”
Seong Gi-wook, the Democratic Party of Korea's preliminary candidate for Changnyeong County Governor, is delivering a statement of candidacy at a press conference. [Photo by Kim Wook]
Candidate Seong said, “I heard it costs at least 2 billion won to run for county governor. It is openly rumored that people say they will only vote if they receive 100,000 won per vote,” adding, “The People Power Party, responsible for the by-election, is already busy lining up candidates without any reflection.”
He continued, “If elected through money politics, they will inevitably have to step down because of money,” and said, “The by-election is ultimately a loss for the residents as it is held with taxes that are double or triple the 100,000 won you received.”
As a major pledge, he stated, “I will make the dream of ‘Bonong Changnyeong,’ where successors of scientific farming and full-time farmers can live well just by engaging steadily in agriculture, a reality.”
Candidate Seong introduced his major local activities, including serving as the secretary-general of the Changnyeong Environmental Movement Federation, opposing the Namji Waterplex in Changnyeong, banning reclamation near farmland producing Oni and waste soil, opening the Nakdong River History and Ecology School, proposing measures to reduce the inflow of pesticides and fertilizers from the Namji Canola Flower Festival to the water intake station, and forming the Upo Wetland Topyeongcheon Trail Promotion Committee.
Candidate Seong said, “This morning, I prepared a bright blue-colored suit, but since a by-election is not a joyful event, I came out in black.”
When asked about practical measures to break the cycle of election fraud, Candidate Seong replied, “Elections are a system. We must break away from customs. When reflecting the consciousness of residents, I think holding elections centered on campaigns is about breathing together. I will focus on policy-based elections.”
When asked why he opposed the Namji Waterplex, Candidate Seong said, “Changnyeong is a region where the 60 km Nakdong River meanders and where the world-renowned Upo Wetland exists along with the river’s functions. The river’s function is a drinking water resource, but the weir blocks it, turning it into a reservoir causing green algae blooms and dangerous substances, which may prevent it from properly serving as drinking water. Amid this, I heard about the Waterplex project. Industrial change is necessary, but building a facility that pollutes drinking water just because it is not consumed in my area is not right.”
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