Controversy Over Mobilization of Organizations from Other Districts at Gwangju Seo-gu Gap Candidate's Book Launch Event

Gwangsan Takes Full Charge of Regional Assembly Members' Event Coordination, Pre-Hosting, and Guest Confirmation

Local Political Circles Lament "Pro-Myeong Alliance and Anti-Myeong Division Are Unthinkable"

Involved Assembly Members Explain

Controversy has arisen as metropolitan and basic council members from a specific district took the lead in organizing the entire event at a book launch for a prospective candidate in next year's general election. In the local political circles, there are even remarks that this is not just an 'unprecedented event' but something that has never happened before.

According to the political circles in Gwangju on the 17th, on the 15th, Kang Wiwon, Secretary General of the Democratic Party's National Innovation Council and a prospective candidate for the Seo-gu Gap district in Gwangju Metropolitan City, held a book launch event for two books titled "The Revival of Great Politics" and "Human, Kang Wiwon."

Prominent politicians inside and outside the Democratic Party, as well as current and former elected officials based in Honam, attended the event together.

The issue lies in the fact that Councilor A of Gwangju City oversaw the entire event, Councilor B served as the preliminary host, and Councilor C was responsible for guest verification. All of them are members of the Gwangsan-eul district, the constituency of Representative Min Hyungbae, a leading figure of the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction. Additionally, all basic council members from the same district also attended and stayed at the event.

While book launch events typically have a reciprocal nature of congratulating and encouraging regardless of personal connections, local political circles view it as unacceptable for incumbent council members to take the lead in the event beyond simply giving congratulatory remarks or attending.

Kang Wiwon, the prospective candidate, is also known as a close aide to Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, and concerns have been raised that with Representative Min Hyungbae's organization fully mobilized, it may appear as a pro-Lee faction alliance while dividing the anti-Lee faction.

One political insider said, “It is an unacceptable behavior for a sitting member of the National Assembly to openly support a prospective candidate from another district as if forming an alliance ahead of next year’s general election,” adding, “Currently, the Democratic Party is at a crossroads of integration and innovation, and the fact that such divisive behavior has occurred in Gwangju, the party’s stronghold, is a serious problem.”

In response, a council member from the Gwangsan-eul district said, “Kang Wiwon has been active in Gwangsan-eul for a long time and has connections here, so we helped him,” explaining, “There was no planned host for the event since there was no performance, but as many guests arrived, we urgently looked for someone to give preliminary remarks on site.”

Another council member from the same district said, “I think it could be seen that way, but it was not intentional.”