[Local Election Interview] Han Junho: "For the Lee Administration's Success, Gyeonggi Province Must Be Set Up... Politics Must Shift to Necessity"

"I am needed to advance the President's pragmatism"

Proposes equity-based housing and easing metropolitan regulations

"Unlike candidates in their seventies, I will deliver hands-on provincial governance"

"When I meet with citizens, they often say, 'President Lee Jaemyung is doing a good job and the economy is improving,' but they also mention that they don't feel these changes directly in their daily lives. It is the role of local governments to address this gap. Many people believe that my election, as someone who has worked alongside the president to create and pursue his pragmatic approach, is necessary for the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration. I, too, feel a sense of duty in this regard."

Junho Han, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the National Assembly member's office. March 3, 2026. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Junho Han, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who is running for Governor of Gyeonggi Province, shared these thoughts in an interview with The Asia Business Daily on March 3. Having previously served as the chief aide to politician Lee Jaemyung, Han's announcement of his candidacy for governor immediately drew attention to the president's intentions. In political circles, there has even been speculation that Han is a "Myung-pick"-a candidate personally endorsed by President Lee Jaemyung.

Indeed, the political community has taken note of Han’s actions during the early days of the December 3 Martial Law, when he reportedly helped President Lee take refuge in a parliamentary office, as well as the fact that Han received the very first plaque of appreciation from President Lee after serving as a special envoy to Bolivia. Four years ago, Han declined an offer to lead the campaign team for the Gyeonggi gubernatorial candidate, instead choosing to serve as chief aide for President Lee’s by-election campaign in Gyeyang-gap, Incheon-demonstrating a long-standing association.

It is also reported that after the inauguration of the Lee Jaemyung administration, Han was offered a cabinet position, which he declined. For a member of the National Assembly, joining the cabinet is usually seen as an opportunity for political advancement, so this decision is noteworthy. Han prioritized contributing to the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration over his own political interests. He explained, "After President Lee was elected, I received multiple offers but told him that, for the sake of completing his full term and beyond, I would focus on organizing an internal party task force (TF for Political Prosecution Response) to address the Daejang-dong, North Korea remittance, and Seongnam FC cases."

Regarding the Lee Jaemyung administration, Han stated, "The results are not matching the president's efforts," and added, "Both the party and local governments need to provide more support, but that framework hasn't been fully established yet." He emphasized the need for a bigger role from both the ruling party and local governments.

Han also deliberated carefully after being encouraged by figures inside and outside the political sphere to run for governor of Gyeonggi Province. He said, "I asked myself what is essential for a local government head: the ability to get things done, understanding the president's political philosophy, and having the capacity to communicate and persuade the president. I concluded that not many within the party possess all three qualities, so I decided to run."

While political circles have recently hosted a series of book launch events ahead of the local elections, Han is distancing himself from this trend. "I have always believed that I would write a book only at the end of my political career, so I never intended to rush out a book just for a launch event," he said. "Instead, I chose to share my story through a monologue." His autobiographical monologue includes details of his life in Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Bucheon, Paju, and Ilsan. Although he is known to have origins in the Honam region, Han explained that he spent most of his life in Gyeonggi Province, adding, "The Gyeonggi dialect is ingrained in me."

With the campaign slogan "Lee Jaemyung for Korea, Junho Han for Gyeonggi," Han defines pragmatism as "politics that addresses real needs." He said, "Since President Lee's time as party leader, I have advocated a declaration of pragmatism and a center-right direction. Now that Korea is among the ranks of advanced nations, our politics should shift from being revolutionary to focusing on what people actually need in their daily lives."

Junho Han, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the National Assembly member's office. March 3, 2026. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

The following is a Q&A session.

-You have proposed the 'Creating Ten Pangyo Clusters' strategy as a growth plan for Gyeonggi Province.

▲The key is easing regulations in the Seoul metropolitan area. Major deals are needed with other local governments such as Chungcheong, Honam, and Gangwon, in which power-intensive industries would move to the provinces, while the Seoul metropolitan area would focus on research and development (R&D) industries. This kind of negotiation would allow for regulatory relaxation. For the first five of the ten Pangyo clusters, I propose using self-sufficient land in the five third-phase new towns. As seen in the Magok case, this can be achieved through increased floor-area ratios and turnkey approaches. The remaining five would be prepared through pre-acquisition of land and implemented in a second term. The core idea is to connect these clusters with the GTX ring, transforming the entire Seoul and Gyeonggi area into a 30-minute living zone. The role of Gyeonggi Province would be to support all 31 cities and counties. To this end, we are also planning four administrative complex campuses.

-Real estate is a hot topic recently. What solutions are you considering?

▲Seventy percent of assets are tied up in real estate, resulting in poor cash flow. Like Singapore, we need to introduce the concept of affordable housing-homes that match one's asset size. Specifically, we could pursue equity-based apartments, where, for example, a person acquires a 200 million won stake in a 1 billion won apartment, with the remaining 80% held by Gyeonggi Housing Corporation, and pays only interest until acquiring more equity as needed. This could be offered as a priority to first-time homebuyers, households with three or more children, newlyweds, and young people. The idea could be applied to cooperative apartment investments, and we are also considering building arch-shaped youth housing above traditional markets near subway stations, following European models.

-You have spoken about both center-right policies and the concept of a basic society.

▲Pragmatism and the basic society are inseparable. Achieving a center-right approach requires a strong foundation of universal welfare. The basic society concept, as exemplified by the youth basic income introduced during the 7th popularly elected Gyeonggi administration (under Governor Lee Jaemyung), needs to be further strengthened. The 8th administration (under current Governor Kim Dongyeon) shifted to selective welfare and opportunity income, but I see this as generating excessive administrative costs and being at odds with pragmatism.

-How do you assess the current Governor Kim Dongyeon?

▲While the evaluation is ultimately up to the residents, the fact that he made a deep bow and apologized at his own book launch event speaks volumes. It is important to revisit successful cases and reinforce and build upon them.

-Polls currently place you in the third tier. What is your response?

▲So far, the polls have mainly measured name recognition. Even so, there are a number of surveys in which I rank second among Democratic Party supporters. The most important goal is to firmly reclaim the second position. In a 50-50 poll, Gyeonggi residents will be looking at who can successfully implement Lee Jaemyung's pragmatic approach in the province. I will emphasize the fact that my term as governor would coincide with the president's, and that Gyeonggi Province has traditionally been led by governors in their 40s and 50s.

-Born in 1974, you are relatively young compared to your competitors. Some may see this as a lack of experience.

▲I don't think age should be the main focus, but some of my competitors are nearing seventy, which comes with clear physical limitations. The position of Gyeonggi governor requires being on the ground, often spending five to seven hours a day traveling by car and working inside the vehicle. If candidates who are considering running for president win, they may reshape the province's agenda for the presidential election, making it difficult to properly manage provincial affairs.

Junho Han, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at his National Assembly office. March 3, 2026. Photo by Hyunmin Kim.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.