Kim Taesung Officially Announces Candidacy for Shinan County Governor

Kim: "The Disciplinary Action Is Unjust... Restoring Residents' Sovereignty"

Kim Taesung, former member of the Democratic Party's Internal Rebellion Investigation Committee, has officially entered election mode by declaring his candidacy for the position of Shinan County Governor. Photo by Seunghyun Jung

With the upcoming Shinan County Governor election in South Jeolla Province, Kim Taesung, former member of the Democratic Party's Internal Rebellion Investigation Committee, has officially declared his candidacy, intensifying the election landscape.

On the morning of January 22 at 10:30 a.m., Kim held a press conference at the South Jeolla Provincial Council, officially announcing his candidacy for Shinan County Governor, stating, "I will usher in an era of integrity and fairness for the sovereignty of Shinan residents."

Kim, the prospective candidate, expressed that he found it "unjust and unfair" to have received an emergency two-year suspension of party membership by the party's Supreme Council, despite being found "not guilty" in a retrial by the Democratic Party's Ethics Tribunal. He emphasized, "This candidacy is not a personal political challenge, but a decision born out of responsibility and love for my hometown, Shinan."

He continued, "I will confront the power structure that has been criticized as distorted in the name of the residents, and address concerns about unfairness," adding, "County administration should not be skewed toward a privileged minority." He also mentioned recent controversies in the local community regarding the operation of the pardon and reinstatement system, as well as issues with the closed political structure.

Kim introduced Shinan as a region composed of 14 towns and townships, 72 inhabited islands, and about 900 uninhabited islands, describing it as "a place where people are the greatest asset and nature is its competitive edge." He also highlighted that it is a region where talent, culture, ecology, and food coexist, referencing former President Kim Daejung and artist Kim Whanki.

He identified residents' income, participation, and sustainability as the core standards for managing Shinan County. Kim stated, "All policies must be evaluated based on whether they have truly improved the lives of residents," and added, "Policies on energy, tourism, and agriculture and fisheries must benefit residents' incomes, not just external capital."

As specific policy directions, he proposed expanding the resident-participatory renewable energy profit-sharing system, transforming tourism into a stay-type model that combines nature, culture, and history, expanding transportation infrastructure to improve island accessibility and mobility rights, shifting the income structure of agriculture and fisheries to focus on processing, distribution, and branding, and establishing a welfare and medical system centered on Happy 100.

Meanwhile, Kim's camp announced that they have taken legal action regarding the party's emergency disciplinary decision.

Kim stated, "I filed a lawsuit because I believe the suspension was decided without sufficient opportunity to explain myself," and added, "In the upcoming local elections in June, I plan to run as an independent and then seek to return to the party."

Following his candidacy announcement, Kim is scheduled to hold a publication celebration event on February 7.

Currently, the Shinan County Governor race is shaping up to be a multi-candidate contest, with around ten potential candidates being mentioned, including former County Governor Park Woolyang, former South Jeolla Provincial Assembly member Jeong Gwangho, former Democratic Research Institute Deputy Director Park Seokbae, former South Jeolla Provincial Assembly member Lim Heungbin, and Ko Bonggi, CEO of Korea Maritime & Port.