One Year Until Seocheon County Governor Election... Major Contenders Accelerate Efforts to Consolidate Support Bases

Kim Kiwoong's Investigation Draws Attention
A Three-Way Race Among Roh Bakrae, Yoo Seungwang, and Jeon Ikhyun

From the left in the photo: Kim Kiwoong, County Governor of the People Power Party; Roh Bakrae, former County Governor; Dr. Yoo Seungwang of the Democratic Party; Jeon Ikhyun, Chungnam Provincial Councilor

With about a year remaining until the election for County Governor of Seocheon in South Chungcheong Province, major candidates are already shifting into campaign mode, accelerating efforts to consolidate their support bases and strengthen their traditional strongholds.

Seocheon County, a small city with a population of approximately 47,000, is known for its clear political shifts. While conservative parties once held a strong advantage, the area has become a battleground between conservative and progressive forces since former County Governor Na Soyeol was elected as a member of the Millennium Democratic Party in the 2002 local elections and went on to serve three terms.

For this election, major candidates being discussed include Kim Kiwoong, the current County Governor from the People Power Party; Roh Bakrae, former County Governor; Dr. Yoo Seungwang from the Democratic Party; and Jeon Ikhyun, a member of the Chungnam Provincial Council.

Particular attention is focused on whether there will be a rematch between Kim and Roh, while additional Democratic Party candidates are emerging, making a three- or four-way race inevitable.

Kim won both the People Power Party primary and the general election in 2022, securing his position as County Governor. However, he is currently under police investigation for alleged violations of the Public Official Election Act, and whether he will run again largely depends on the outcome of this investigation.

Allegations that dozens of Seocheon County officials are implicated have heightened local community concerns.

Kim has also faced criticism for failing to deliver notable achievements during his three years in office in the eighth popularly elected administration. He has been embroiled in controversies over illegal farmland and mountain development, repeated cases of public officials caught driving under the influence, and issues related to lax discipline among civil servants. Most recently, he sparked controversy by promoting an individual to section chief and appointing them as chief secretary after it was revealed that this person had another staff member attend mandatory training on their behalf during a regular personnel reshuffle.

Roh Bakrae, who led the county government during the sixth and seventh terms of the popularly elected administration, is recognized for his extensive administrative experience. Despite losing to Kim in the previous local election, he has continued to engage with local residents and is preparing for a political comeback.

Within the Democratic Party, Dr. Yoo Seungwang of the Seocheon Community Research Institute is attracting attention.

A Seocheon native, Dr. Yoo taught at Seocheon High School, Seocheon Girls' High School, and Chungnam Chosun Technical High School before retiring with honors. He has served as Director of the Education and Training Institute and Vice Chair of the Policy Committee for the Democratic Party's South Chungcheong Provincial Chapter. He is currently an advisor to the Office of the Prime Minister and continues to build his base through ongoing engagement with local residents.

Jeon Ikhyun, a member of the Chungnam Provincial Council, is also mentioned as a potential Democratic Party candidate. Jeon is known for his active legislative work and frequent visits throughout the region, focusing on face-to-face interactions and securing public support.

A local political figure commented, "Seocheon County is an area where the balance between conservative and progressive camps is very close, making it difficult to predict the outcome until the final candidates are confirmed. In this election, both policy competition and residents' evaluations of the candidates' morality and administrative competence will be key factors."

Next year's Seocheon County Governor election is expected to focus on the future of Kim Kiwoong, whether the conservative camp can unify behind a single candidate, and the internal primary race within the Democratic Party.