'A Letter to 8 Members of the National Assembly from Gwangju Region'
"We Will Support You to Be More Active in the National Assembly"
As the election for the Chairperson of the Gwangju Metropolitan City Party Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea heats up with a fierce rivalry between incumbent National Assembly member Yang Bu-nam and Kang Wi-won, the standing representative of the Democratic Party’s National Innovation Council, candidate Kang has delivered a “Letter to the 8 National Assembly Members of the Gwangju Region.”
On the 25th, candidate Kang Wi-won stated in a press release, “Please join me, Kang Wi-won, on the path of party innovation and regime change.”
Kang Wiwon, Candidate for Chairman of the Gwangju Metropolitan City Party Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea.
He emphasized, “The members of the National Assembly?Min Hyung-bae, Park Gyun-taek, Jo In-cheol, Jeon Jin-sook, Jeong Jun-ho, An Do-geol, Jeong Jin-wook, and Assemblyman Yang Bu-nam?are fighting on the front lines in the National Assembly against the incompetent, ignorant, and irresponsible prosecutorial dictatorship regime. The party members and citizens of Gwangju are cheering and supporting their efforts and have even greater expectations for the future,” adding, “The Gwangju City Party Committee will become a platform to inform the 110,000 party members and 1.42 million citizens about the proud activities of our Gwangju National Assembly members.”
He continued, “Entrust the city party committee to me, and I will devote everything to the fight against the Yoon Seok-yeol administration through legislative activities in the National Assembly,” and stated, “I also have shortcomings. For those shortcomings, I will seek wisdom from party members and listen to their voices anytime and anywhere through ‘365 City Party Committee Operations.’”
He also said, “I will operate by asking questions and seeking advice not only from National Assembly members but also from city and district councilors, who are workers for the residents,” and asserted, “I, Kang Wi-won, am running for the Chairperson of the Gwangju City Party Committee solely to reclaim the regime and establish the 4th Democratic government.”
Candidate Kang explained that the Democratic Party in Gwangju, the heart of the party, must innovate so that the central Democratic Party can innovate, and the Democratic Party’s city and provincial committees and local branches nationwide can also innovate.
He also addressed the recent issue of “vested interests,” which has been the subject of tension with some National Assembly members in the Gwangju region.
Kang said, “When I criticized the collusion and backroom deals among the 8 National Assembly members of Gwangju, some felt hurt, saying, ‘Are you already treating us as vested interests?’ That is not the case at all,” explaining, “Who would label the newly elected National Assembly members, chosen by the party members and citizens of Gwangju, as vested interests? The criticism of vested interests is directed at those newly elected members who chose ‘customs’ and ‘old practices’ as before.”
He added, “Of course, National Assembly members can run for the city party chairperson, but if all eight collude to coordinate and settle on one candidate, isn’t that effectively depriving party members of their right to choose?” and emphasized, “Although the intensity differs, it is well known that they are all firmly cooperating to form an alliance beyond mere endorsement.”
Furthermore, he said, “For an out-of-office party member, competing against even one National Assembly member is not easy. Especially, there was not even a procedure to ask party members, delegates, or even executive committee members for their opinions through discussions during the process,” and stated, “At the very least, if we want to talk about ‘party member-centered’ and ‘party innovation’ in Gwangju, we must deeply consider why Representative Lee Jae-myung said in front of Gwangju party members on May 18 this year, ‘Do not negotiate and endorse among the members; hold a primary election so that party members can choose.’”
He declared, “I will help the members of the National Assembly to perform even greater activities in the National Assembly together with party members and citizens,” and “The city party committee will actively support the operation of local branches and constituency management.”
He added, “After completing my term as Chairperson of the Gwangju City Party Committee in August 2026, my place will be ‘the Democratic Party of Korea Lee Jae-myung Presidential Candidate Camp.’ With the experience and achievements of running the Gwangju City Party Committee for two years, I will definitely reclaim the regime and establish the 4th Democratic government as the ‘Lee Jae-myung government,’” and concluded, “Talents from Honam will fully demonstrate their abilities in the 4th Democratic government and devote themselves wholeheartedly to the development of their hometown.”
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