Won Hee-ryong Attends 'Conservative Religious Rally' After Cabinet Reshuffle Announcement... Jeon Gwang-hoon Says "Watta, Well Done"

Opposition: "As the general election approaches, the shadow of Jeon Gwang-hoon appears again"
Former: "I went to share my faith testimony"

On the 4th, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong chose a Christian gathering centered around Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon as his first destination after the announcement of his successor. At the event, Minister Won hinted at running in next year's general election, saying, "I will do what I must in matters that determine the fate of the nation in the future." The opposition criticized him, saying, "It's shameful to rush to an extreme right-wing pastor as soon as the ministerial term ends."

That afternoon, Minister Won attended the 'Gyeongbuk-Daegu Elders' General Federation Leaders' Conference' held at a hotel in Gyeongju. Taking the podium, he began by saying, "Today, the list of ministers was announced. Receiving the announcement that my term as minister is ending, this is my first schedule to meet you all."

Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport / YouTube channel 'NeoAlA TV' capture

He continued, "I must hold on to exactly one person. I will dedicate and sacrifice myself to hold on to the obstacle blocking the path ahead for our Republic of Korea," hinting at his intention to run in a difficult electoral district. The "exactly one person" Minister Won referred to is interpreted as targeting Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. In political circles, there is speculation that Minister Won may run in Incheon Gyeyang-eul, Lee's constituency.

At the gathering that day, there was no captured image of Minister Won and Pastor Jeon standing side by side. After Minister Won left, Pastor Jeon took the podium and praised him, saying, "Wow, Won Hee-ryong's testimony is really good. Usually, I don't like it, but this was very impressive."

The opposition criticized Minister Won's attendance at a Pastor Jeon-led gathering as inappropriate for his first political move. The People Power Party suffered internal strife in April due to the so-called 'Jeon Gwang-hoon risk.' At that time, former Supreme Council member Kim Jae-won, who participated in an event led by Pastor Jeon, caused controversy with remarks such as "Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon has unified the right-wing camp," and was ultimately suspended from party membership for one year.

The Democratic Party criticized that Pastor Jeon's influence in the conservative camp was reaffirmed by Minister Won's recent actions. Park Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, said in a written briefing on the 5th, "It is utterly shameful that a national minister rushed to an extreme right-wing pastor as soon as his term ended," adding, "Minister Won Hee-ryong, who bowed before Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon instead of breaking ties as he claimed, is unfit to be a representative of the people."

Spokesperson Park continued, "Isn't Minister Won Hee-ryong the same person who, just three years ago, harshly criticized his own party's former lawmakers who attended Pastor Jeon's Liberation Day rally as 'people starving for applause'?" He added, "As the general election approaches, Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon's shadow is looming over the People Power Party again. Even if they discard former Supreme Council member Kim Jae-won who made outrageous remarks, can they never break ties with Pastor Jeon?"

Regarding this, Minister Won explained, "I am a Christian, and I was asked by Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk, to come to where the Gyeongbuk regional elders' federation gathers and give a faith testimony, so I went to share my testimony," claiming he did not know it was an event related to Pastor Jeon.