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Kim Jung-nam, the Democratic Party’s candidate for mayor of Gangneung, joined provincial and city council hopefuls on the 2nd to launch the “Gangneung Great Transformation” campaign headquarters. The event at the Gangneung Danoje Training Center drew citizens calling for change and officially marked the start of the campaign.
Democratic Party candidates contesting the June 3 local elections in Gangneung held the Gangneung Great Transformation campaign launch on the 2nd at the Gangneung Danoje Training Center, with roughly 300 party members and local residents in attendance.
Among the attendees were gubernatorial candidate Woo Sang-ho; National Assembly members Kim Young-jin (Suwon B) and Song Ki-heon (Wonju E); senior party adviser Lee Yong-deuk; standing campaign chair Choi Wook-chul; former mayoral candidates Kim Han-geun and Kim Hyun-su; 16 Democratic provincial and municipal council candidates from Gangneung; and high-profile supporters including actor Lee Gi-young, martial arts director Jung Doo-hong, Ahn Jin-geol of the Minsheng Economy Research Institute, and Baek Eun-jong, CEO of Seoul Voice TV.
Choi Wook-chul, the campaign’s standing chair and a former lawmaker, criticized the group that controlled Gangneung for 32 years, saying their mismanagement—most recently the water-management failures—left the city in crisis and on the national radar. “This time we will overturn that,” Choi said. “Elect Kim Jung-nam, who is ready to lead, recover lost time, and rebuild Gangneung into a city with clean water, clean air and a better quality of life.”
Lee Yong-deuk, the party’s senior adviser, recalled an assessment by President Lee Jae-myung two years ago, when he served as party leader. “President Lee said Kim Jung-nam could become a major political figure for Gangneung and would make an excellent administrator,” Lee said. “Having worked in the labor movement, Kim combines a gentle, principled character with the administrative experience needed to lead. If he wins, together with Woo Sang-ho, they will drive major change and development in Gangwon Province and Gangneung.”
Gubernatorial candidate Woo Sang-ho urged voters to pay close attention to the race. “The entire nation is watching the Gangneung mayoral election,” he said. “If voters again choose Kim Hong-gyu—the candidate associated with last year’s water shortage—residents will no longer be able to take pride in saying they’re from Gangneung. This time citizens must make a clear political choice. Elect Kim Jung-nam, restore the pride of Gangneung residents, and show that the city can replace those who have failed it.”
Woo said he and Kim have already crafted several concrete policy proposals to transform and develop Gangneung. “We are engaging top international firms about investment and are in substantive discussions with two major domestic companies,” he said. “We plan to create facilities that attract spending and elevate Gangneung into a global destination. Please support Kim Jung-nam and me so we can remake Gangneung and Gangwon Province.”
Rep. Kim Young-jin argued that Gangneung has stagnated after a single party effectively controlled the mayoralty for 32 years since the 1995 local elections, leaving the city unable to solve basic problems such as drinking water. “Kim Jung-nam has decades of administrative and regional experience,” Kim said. “I am confident he will lead a practical, results-oriented transformation of Gangneung. With Governor Woo, we will back the city’s priorities through legislation, policy and budgets.”
Rep. Song Ki-heon praised Kim’s hands-on leadership during last year’s drought. “Even while out of office, Kim reached out to the party leader and other lawmakers, repeatedly pressed the central party on policy fixes, and worked tirelessly for solutions,” Song said. “Because of his efforts, significant water funding was allocated to Gangneung. When someone like him becomes mayor, Gangneung will change—and Gangwon Province will change with it.”
Kim Jung-nam recounted a conversation with a voter he met at an early-morning market. The voter asked him, “If you win, please save and spend tax dollars carefully. Use them fairly for the nameless, for those struggling, for young people trying to advance their lives, and for vulnerable seniors.” “She said people have watched the current leadership and know it’s time for change,” Kim said.
Kim added, “I cannot do this alone. The power to change Gangneung rests with its citizens. I will kneel before party members and residents and keep asking—humbly—that we change Gangneung together. A June 3 victory will not be mine alone; it will belong to the 200,000 residents of Gangneung. Let’s make this election the start of rewriting 30 years of unchanged local history.”
The newly launched Gangneung Great Transformation campaign headquarters is led by standing campaign chair Choi Wook-chul and overall campaign chair Lee Yong-deuk. The leadership team includes campaign chairs Kim Kyung-su, Kim Young-jin, Kim Jun-hyuk, Kim Han-geun, Kim Hyun-su, Bae Seon-sik, Lee Jae-an and Choi Moon-soon; youth chair Gwak Yul-won; clan-affairs chair Kim Jung-nam; business chair Kim Hyung-ik; student chair Jung Yoon; women’s chair Choi Jong-nam; and chief special adviser Kim Hyung-nam.
The Democratic Party’s provincial council candidates in Gangneung are Park Gap-yong (District 1), Kim Nam-hee (District 2), Ban Tae-yeon (District 3), Ko In-kyu (District 4), Kim Jeong-rae (District 5) and Bae Moon-ju. City council candidates include Ham Eun-sun, Kim Eun-sook, Park Joo-yeon, Yoo Hyun-min, Ahn Hyuk-jin, Choi Hyun-seon, Kim Tae-wan, Kim Moon-seop, Lee Soo-young, Park Kyung-ran, Kim Yong-nam, Shin Seon-ae, Kwon Eun-sook and Jeong Jun-min.
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