Lee Won-taek, Kim Kwan-young Candidates: 'We Will Inherit Roh Moo-hyun's Spirit' in Unison

As the race for Jeonbuk governor heats up, candidates Lee Won-taek of the Democratic Party and Kim Kwan-young, running as an independent, have both vowed to carry forward the legacy of the late President Roh Moo-hyun. The election, occurring around the 17th anniversary of Roh's passing, sees both candidates invoking his memory and ideals to garner support.

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We will inherit the noble spirit of the deceased who dedicated himself to creating a world without unfairness and privilege, and a world where people live with balanced national development.

Lee Won-taek articulated his commitment to Roh's vision of a society free from unfairness and privilege, and one that prioritizes balanced regional development. He connected Roh's aspirations to Lee Jae-myung's platform and the Democratic Party's goals, stating, "Roh Moo-hyun's dream has been passed on to Lee Jae-myung. A world where people live is a world without the excluded." Lee further asserted that a ruling party governor is necessary to ensure Jeonbuk receives its due, promising to leverage the power of a potential Lee Jae-myung administration to address the province's "triple exclusion."

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Roh Moo-hyun's dream has been passed on to Lee Jae-myung. A world where people live is a world without the excluded.

Kim Kwan-young, conversely, focused on Roh's "foolish spirit" – his willingness to reject comfortable, opportunistic paths and instead walk a challenging, righteous road. Kim lamented the current political landscape, characterized by "blind factional logic, double standards," and "indiscriminate stigmatization." He argued that the "barbaric politics" Roh warned against are reappearing in new forms. Kim pledged to follow Roh's "pragmatic" spirit, making decisions based solely on the needs of Jeonbuk's residents rather than political calculations from the central government.

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The reason we miss the deceased to this day is because of the 'foolish spirit' that firmly rejected the easy path with high electability and the fence of a large party.

The Jeonbuk gubernatorial election is drawing significant national attention due to its close contest. Historically, the Democratic Party has consistently held the governorship since the start of local autonomy. However, Kim Kwan-young's decision to run as an independent against the party's nominee has created a tense race, with recent polls showing the candidates in a tight battle within the margin of error.

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The 'pragmatic' spirit of President Roh Moo-hyun, who made decisions for the national interest despite strong opposition from his own party, will be continued.