South Korean civic groups demand withdrawal of former mayor's deputy governor appointment

Civic groups in South Korea's South Chungcheong Province are calling for the withdrawal of the appointment of former Cheonan Mayor Gu Bon-young as the province's deputy governor. Gu, who previously lost his mayoral position due to a violation of the political funds law, is slated to take on the new role under Governor Park Soo-hyun.

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We cannot help but ask who and what values the 'connecting Chungnam' truly connects with.

The civic organizations, including the South Chungcheong Provincial Federation of Civic Organizations and the Cheonan Civic Organizations Council, issued a statement on July 6. They argued that the position of deputy governor is not merely for experienced individuals but also serves as a symbol of the province's values and governance principles. They questioned what values and with whom the province's commitment to "connecting Chungnam" truly aligns.

Gu Bon-young was previously found guilty of receiving 20 million won in illegal political funds without going through a formal fundraising committee during the 2014 local elections. This led to him losing his position as Cheonan mayor in November 2019 due to an 8 million won fine. At the time of Gu's nomination, Governor Park Soo-hyun praised him as an administrator with experience in both central and local government, highlighting his potential to coordinate and support provincial initiatives through cooperation with the central government.

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It is not simply a matter of an individual's political career or their comeback, but an issue that has undermined the stability of local autonomy and the trust of the citizens.

However, the civic groups contend that Gu's violation of the political funds law necessitated a by-election in Cheonan, imposing social and administrative costs on citizens. They emphasized that this is not just about an individual's political career but about the stability of local autonomy and public trust. Furthermore, they pointed out that Gu's recent unsuccessful bid for the Cheonan mayoral nomination in the local elections indicated a lack of consensus in the local community regarding his political comeback. The groups urged the provincial government to reconsider the appointment and re-establish public trust and official ethics as criteria for public service.

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The legal responsibility has been fulfilled, but that does not automatically restore public trust in public office.