Next Year's Cheonan Mayoral Race: Over 20 Potential Candidates Signal Fierce Competition

Twelve from the Democratic Party, Four from the People Power Party, and More

With just one year remaining until the 9th nationwide local elections, scheduled for June 3, 2025, the race for the mayoral seat in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, is already heating up, with more than 20 politicians being mentioned as potential candidates.

According to local political circles on June 12, 12 individuals are being discussed as potential candidates from the Democratic Party of Korea, while 4 are being mentioned from the People Power Party. A variety of candidates from the Party for National Innovation, the Reform Party, and independents are also expected to enter the race.

Within the Democratic Party, the potential candidacy of former Cheonan Mayor Gu Bonyeong, who has recently appeared at various events and is actively engaging with the public, is being discussed. In 2019, he was stripped of his office after being convicted of violating the Political Funds Act.

Other names on the Democratic Party’s list include Kim Seontae, a member of the South Chungcheong Provincial Council; Kim Youngsu, spokesperson for the South Chungcheong Provincial Party; Kim Youngman, head of the Cheonan branch of the Ahn Junggeun Memorial Association; Park Namju, former Cheonan City Council member; Lee Gyuhui, former National Assembly member; Jang Gisu, head of the 4050 Special Committee for South Chungcheong Province; Choi Jaeyong, former chairman of the Appeals Commission; Han Taeseon, former Democratic Party policy chief; and Hwang Cheonsun, former chairman of the Cheonan City Council.

(From the left, clockwise) Gu Bonyeong, Kim Seontae, Kim Youngsu, Lee Gyuhui, Park Namju, Kim Youngman.

(From the left clockwise) Jang Gisu, Choi Jaeyong, Han Taeseon, Kim Yeon, Kim Mihwa, Hwang Cheonsun.

Kim Mihwa, former Cheonan City Council member who ran in the most recent general election, and Kim Yeon, former South Chungcheong Provincial Council member, are also being mentioned as potential candidates, both self-nominated and nominated by others.

From the People Power Party, former National Assembly member Park Chanwoo and former Cheonan City Council chairman Jung Dohee have announced their intentions to run. Lee Jungman, head of the Cheonan-eul district committee, and Shin Jinyoung, former Blue House secretary, are also being discussed as possible candidates.

The Party for National Innovation, which won a local executive seat in the by-election held on April 2, has stated that it will field a candidate once its nominee is decided. In the Reform Party, Seongjin Lee, head of the South Chungcheong Provincial Party, is being mentioned as a potential candidate.

Okgyun Jeon, head of the Neighbor Companion Free Legal Counseling Center, is expected to run as an independent.