Governor Kim Dong-yeon Visits Bongha Village and Pays Courtesy Call to Former President Moon on the 5th

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon will visit Bongha Village in Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan on the 5th. Bongha Village is the site of the late President Roh Moo-hyun's tomb, and Pyeongsan Village is where former President Moon Jae-in has retired to live.

Governor Kim is said to be visiting the two areas while in Busan to attend the opening pitch ceremony of the ‘National Prestigious High School Baseball Tournament’ held on the 6th. However, some speculate about the visit to these two locations amid ongoing controversies over the Democratic Party's candidate nominations ahead of the April general election.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 4th, Governor Kim will visit Bongha Village and Pyeongsan Village on the 5th, and on the 6th, he will attend the opening pitch ceremony of the National Prestigious High School Baseball Tournament held in Busan.

This visit to Bongha Village and other locations marks Governor Kim Dong-yeon's first trip since his election as governor in the 2022 ‘8th Nationwide Local Elections’.

However, various interpretations have emerged regarding Governor Kim's visit to Busan, as it comes amid factional conflicts within the Democratic Party.

Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province

Governor Kim recently commented on the Democratic Party's candidate nominations, stating, "If public sentiment is lost during the nomination process, recovery is difficult," and emphasized, "It should not be a nomination that excludes anyone, but a ‘primary election open to anyone’ based on public evaluation."

Currently, Governor Kim is seen as lacking a clear center within the Democratic Party's factions, positioned between the ‘pro-Moon’ group centered around former President Moon Jae-in and the ‘non-Myung’ faction distancing itself from current Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung. There is speculation that he will play some role for either side in some capacity.

A Gyeonggi Province official explained, "Governor Kim attended the Davos Forum earlier this year and was unable to exchange New Year's greetings with former President Moon Jae-in and others," adding, "Since the National Prestigious High School Baseball Tournament, where he is scheduled to throw the opening pitch, is held in Busan, he will visit Bongha and Pyeongsan Villages during that trip."