Translation result.
The People Power Party said it will revert to the original registration stage and proceed with the primary for the North Chungcheong governorship.
After a meeting at the party’s central office in Yeouido, Seoul, Park Deok-heum, head of the nomination committee, told reporters on the 2nd that the committee had made the decision.
He said the party will hold a preliminary screening of all registered candidates; those who pass will then face the incumbent governor in a one-on-one primary. He added that the committee will announce the detailed schedule once it is finalized.
The move would reinstate Kim Young-hwan, who earlier won a court ruling overturning his cut-off, and would also bring back former Chungju Mayor Jo Gil-hyung and former national police chief Yoon Hee-geun, both of whom had protested the vetting process and said they would skip the primary.
Park said their return “depends on their own decision,” and added, “Since we’re returning to square one, I expect they will enter and compete in the primary.”
He also noted, “They have already completed candidate registration, so they only need to register for the primary. Returning to square one does not mean a new public call; it means we will hold the primary among those candidates.”
Asked whether former lawmaker Kim Soo-min, who applied during the additional recruitment period, would be included, he replied, “She withdrew, so she will not be included.”
Meanwhile, the committee agreed to accept a petition for reconsideration from Lee Beom-seok, the Cheongju mayor who had been cut off.
Park said the decision followed a comprehensive review of local electoral conditions and the additional evidence submitted during the appeal.
The Cheongju mayoral primary will begin with a preliminary among non-incumbent candidates; those who advance will then face the incumbent mayor in a one-on-one contest.
The committee also disqualified preliminary candidate Kim Kwang-jong, who had applied for the North Jeolla governorship, citing its screening standards and disqualification criteria.
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