Former lawmaker Son Hye-won elected to Mokpo City Council as independent

Son Hye-won, a former member of the National Assembly, has won a seat on the Mokpo City Council as an independent candidate. The election results show Son securing 24.37% of the vote in the Mokpo-ra district, placing her second behind Democratic Party candidate Lee Hyeong-wan, who received 38.04%. Son will join the council alongside three Democratic Party members, entering the local legislature in a race where five candidates competed for three seats.

Son ran on a platform focused on revitalizing Mokpo's historic downtown area, stating, "The old city must live for Mokpo to live." She has pledged to draw a surge of tourists to the area. Prior to her political career, Son built a reputation as a brand designer, with notable works including the soju brand 'Chum Churum'.

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The old city must live for Mokpo to live.

Her political journey includes a term in the 20th National Assembly, representing the Seoul Mapo-eul constituency. However, she left the Democratic Party in 2019 amid allegations of real estate speculation in Mokpo's historic district. In November 2022, the Supreme Court ruled her guilty of illicitly acquiring property through a nominee but acquitted her of charges related to using insider information for property acquisition under the Anti-Corruption Act.

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I will make tourists overflow into Mokpo's old city.