Lee Cheon-su, who helped the Democratic Party, steps up to support Gyeyang as 'Won Hee-ryong Sponsorship Chairman'

Former Minister Won's Support Committee Chair Steps Up Ahead of General Election
Accompanies from Morning Greeting at Gyesan Station on the 22nd

Former national soccer player Lee Cheon-su has come out in support of former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, who is running as a candidate for the People Power Party in Incheon Gyeyang-eul. Gyeyang-eul in Incheon, where former Minister Won is running, is the constituency of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and it is expected to be the site of the so-called "Myeong-Ryong showdown" in this general election.

Former national soccer player Lee Cheon-su. [Image source=SBS]

On the 22nd, former Minister Won’s camp announced that Lee accompanied him for a morning greeting at Gyesan Station on Incheon Subway Line 1 and will campaign together with him. It is known that Lee met former Minister Won when he visited Jeju Girls' High School soccer team, which was on the brink of disbandment due to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s suspension of support in 2016, to encourage them. They have continued their relationship by discussing ways to revitalize youth soccer.

Former Minister Won said, "I am grateful that the bond we formed eight years ago has extended all the way to Lee Cheon-su’s hometown," adding, "For decades, Gyeyang-eul has been stagnant and winning elections was taken for granted, but now both I and Lee share the belief that 'the party must change for Gyeyang to thrive'." Lee spent his school years in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, and played for Incheon United from 2013. He ended his active career with the same club in 2015, served as the head of team strengthening at Incheon United FC until 2020, and is currently known to reside in Cheongna International City, Incheon.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung and People Power Party's former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong are shaking hands at the opening ceremony of the Gyeyang Football Association held on the morning of February 18 at Gyeyang Sports Park soccer field in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon.
[Photo by Won Hee-ryong]

In the last general election, Lee supported Democratic Party candidates throughout Incheon. He is known to have a close relationship with Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party and former mayor of Incheon during Lee’s playing days. At that time, the mayor of Incheon was from the Democratic Party, and Incheon United FC received support from the city, which is said to have influenced his election support.

Lee told the Chosun Ilbo, "I moved to Gyesan 2-dong as a child and started playing soccer there, growing into a national team player, so I feel a special affection for Incheon Gyeyang-eul as my hometown," adding, "I decided to support candidate Won because I believe his ability and experience, including serving as Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, will properly develop Gyeyang-eul." He plans to campaign with former Minister Won until the last day of the April general election campaign and has decided to temporarily suspend appearances on broadcasting entertainment programs for this purpose.

He continued, "I have always prided myself on having no political bias, but out of a single-minded desire to completely change my hometown, I took on the role of chairman of former Minister Won’s support committee," explaining, "The neighbors in the apartment where I lived as a child are subject to reconstruction, but there has been no progress at all, which is frustrating. I wanted to help relieve that frustration."