Kang Wiwon, Special Advisor to the Democratic Party Leader, Declares Non-Candidacy for Next Year's General Election

Withdrawal of Verification Request for Democratic Party Candidate

"Will Become Fertilizer to Help Win the General Election"

Kang Wiwon, the chief political advisor to the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea who had announced his candidacy for the National Assembly election in the Gwangju Metropolitan City Seo-gu (Gap) electoral district, has withdrawn his application for candidate verification within the party.

On the 15th, Kang released a statement on his SNS announcing this decision.

Kang stated, "I repeatedly questioned myself whether I am qualified to work with public authority, and I believed that if attention was paid to the life I have lived, I would be given a proper opportunity to work. However, I will stop here. The party's indecision on whether to continue the review process is burdensome. Regardless of eligibility according to regulations, I judged that I cannot allow my situation to shake the election victory strategy of party leader Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party of Korea," he explained.

He continued, "Wherever I am, I will continue efforts to build a basic society based on people-centered democracy. This is the completion of community welfare that I have cultivated and experienced," adding, "I am especially grateful and deeply sorry to the party members and residents of Gwangju Seo-gu Gap who willingly joined hands despite difficult circumstances."

He also said, "This is not the end but a new beginning. This time, I believe my role is to become fertilizer to help the flower of 'election victory' bloom," and added, "In April this year, I will do my utmost to create a day when party members and the public can smile brightly in front of a field of blooming flowers."

The Gwangju Seo-gu (Gap) electoral district is where Song Gap-seok, the only incumbent lawmaker in the region, is running for a third term. Within the Democratic Party, Kang Wiwon, chief advisor to party leader Lee Jae-myung, former senior administrative officer Kim Myung-jin from the Kim Dae-jung administration’s Blue House, former lawmaker Park Hye-ja, and former Gwangju City Culture and Economy Deputy Mayor Jo In-cheol have all declared their candidacies. From the People Power Party, former Gwangju Seo-gu Gap party committee chairman Ha Heon-sik is running, while the Justice Party has nominated Park Hyung-min, the Justice Party Seo-gu Gap regional chairman, and the Progressive Party has decided on Kang Seung-cheol, former secretary-general of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, as candidates.