Won Hee-ryong: "Gye-yang Will Be My Last Constituency... I Will Risk Life and Death"

Won Hee-ryong, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the People Power Party candidate for Incheon Gyeyang-eul, declared his candidacy on the 23rd, saying, "Gyeyang will be my last constituency and my last second hometown."

On the same day, Won held a press conference at Imhak Sageori in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon, appealing for support by saying, "I will devote my life and death to the residents of Gyeyang, so I ask the residents of Gyeyang to help me make honest politics flourish and come alive."

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, who ran as the People Power Party candidate for Incheon Gyeyang-eul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

He targeted the Democratic Party of Korea, which has long ruled the region, saying, "Since coming to Gyeyang, I have heard over and over that nothing has been done and there has been no development for 25 years."

He continued, "They built apartments right in the middle of rice paddies without properly constructing roads, cramming in 1,000 or 500 children, yet they did not establish a single public study cafe or learning support center. The residents have suffered from this neglect for as long as 25 years, so why blame a government that has only been in power for two years?"

Referring to the Democratic Party's election slogan that reads 'Lee·Chae·Yang·Myeong·Ju (Itaewon disaster, investigation pressure suspicion in the death of Chae Sang-byeong, Yangpyeong Expressway preferential treatment suspicion, Kim Keon-hee's luxury bag acceptance suspicion, Deutsche Motors stock manipulation suspicion) out,' he sarcastically said, "To me, it looks like 'Lee Jae-myung out.'"

He also introduced his connection to the constituency by recalling his time as a 21-year-old student activist who took a disguised job at a metal factory in Bupyeong Industrial Complex, Incheon. Won said, "After 40 years, that young man has become a politician who walks the path of reformist conservatism, believes in democracy, South Korea's security, market economy, and economic growth, and upholds these values," adding, "I have come to Gyeyang to plant honest politics."

He stated, "I will keep 100% of the promises I make now, but if even 1% falls short, I will honestly admit it, apologize, and report to the people how I will make up for it. We must remove the kind of politics that tries to impeach the government with three years left in power to avoid criminal charges. Please create politics in Gyeyang that we can be proud of," he shouted. He also presented detailed pledges for innovative development in Gyeyang, including housing, transportation, and education.

At the scene that day, about 1,000 citizens and supporters gathered along with figures from various fields, including Lee Cheon-su, chairman of the support committee, Yoon Hyung-seon, standing election committee chairman, Choi Won-sik, People Power Party candidate for Gyeyang-gap, and Pastor In Myung-jin.