Nomination Canceled Jang Ye-chan Runs as Independent in Busan Suyeong District

On the 16th, After Nomination Cancellation Due to Controversial Remarks, Press Conference
"Should Lee Jae-myung, Cho Kuk, and Lee Jun-seok Be Allowed to Receive Nomination?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Jang Ye-chan, former Supreme Council member of the People Power Party who had his nomination canceled due to controversial remarks after running in Suyeong-gu, Busan, has decided to run as an independent candidate in Suyeong-gu.

On the 18th, Jang held a press conference at the Busan City Council and said, "I stand here today risking my political life to make the decision to run as an independent," adding, "Although I am temporarily leaving the party, I will definitely return victorious with the residents of Suyeong-gu."

He stated, "It is all my responsibility and the cross I must bear," and apologized sincerely once again for writings he left in his reckless twenties ten years ago. The People Power Party’s Nomination Management Committee canceled Jang’s nomination on the 16th after various controversial remarks surfaced. The nomination for the district was given on the 17th to Jeong Yeon-wook, former editorial writer of Dong-A Ilbo.

Jang launched a counterattack mentioning Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, Cho Guk, leader of the Cho Guk Innovation Party, and Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Innovation Party.

He said, "If you examine the Democratic Party by the same standards used to verify my personal social network service (SNS) posts from my twenties, how many people would be eligible for nomination?" He added, "Leader Lee shamelessly travels nationwide as the opposition leader despite using profane language toward his sister-in-law."

Regarding leader Cho, he said, "When Cho was the Blue House civil affairs chief, he wrote a column stating that consensual sexual relations between high school students and adults should not be punished," emphasizing, "Please evaluate the writings Cho openly left in the media during his high-ranking public official days by the same standards as mine."

About leader Lee Jun-seok, he pointed out, "I wrote about the importance of expertise in my twenties using analogies, but Leader Lee is suspected of having received sexual bribery in his twenties," and questioned, "Since it is a matter of the past, is it acceptable for him to receive a nomination?"