Min Hyungbae Proves Reform Momentum, Confirmed as Ruling Party’s First Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Mayor Nominee

Journalist, District Mayor, Blue House Official, Two-Term Lawmaker
Defeated Jeonnam Governor Kim Youngrok to Advance to Runoff

On April 14, in the Democratic Party of Korea’s Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Mayor primary, candidate Min Hyung-bae defeated Kim Young-rok in the final round to become the party’s official candidate.

This primary went through a fierce three-stage process—preliminary, main, and runoff rounds—before selecting the final candidate. The outcome reflects the preferences of both local residents and party members, who favored reformist change over stability and political clarity over administrative expertise.

At the regional policy jury debate held on the 27th at the seafood distribution center auditorium in Mokpo, Jeonnam, Min Hyung-bae, a candidate in the Democratic Party of Korea's Jeonnam Gwangju Special Mayor primary, is speaking. Photo by Yonhap News

In the early stages of the primary, support was divided among multiple candidates across different regions, and Min was initially considered to be at a disadvantage in terms of party member organization.

However, his pro-Lee Jae-myung and reformist image emerged as a key factor. Min's clear political stance, centered on prosecutorial reform, and his political solidarity as part of Lee Jae-myung’s early support base resonated with the party's mainstream supporters, giving him the upper hand among both party members and the general public.

The process of unifying main primary candidates also proved to be a decisive battleground. While the opposing camp consolidated around the unification of Shin Jeong-hoon and Kang Gi-jung, Min achieved unification with Ju Cheol-hyeon through political agreement, thereby expanding his support base to the eastern part of Jeonnam.

Notably, by achieving unification through consensus rather than public polling, Min minimized organizational departures and maintained supporter cohesion, which helped reduce vote splitting and created a competitive three-way structure.

According to analysis of regional voting tendencies, Kim Young-rok, who had a base of 220,000 in Jeonnam—almost twice as many party members as in Gwangju—was initially considered the favorite.

However, the consensus is that Min, by forming alliances with figures such as Assemblyman Ju Cheol-hyeon, the only candidate from eastern Jeonnam, effectively encroached on Kim's “home turf,” especially the critical eastern region.

In the final round, Kim’s side mounted a fierce pursuit, but Min’s active defense proved decisive in determining the outcome.

Kim sought to strengthen his last-minute momentum by securing support from the organizations backing former candidates Shin Jeong-hoon and Kang Gi-jung, as well as assistance from former party leader Song Young-gil and public endorsements from four of the five sitting district heads in Gwangju, excluding Kim Ikang, head of Seo-gu district. This caused volatility in the race.

Min responded to this alliance by moving away from his previous restraint on negative campaigning. He labeled Kim's coalition as an “alliance of convenience” and a “betrayal alliance,” raising the level of criticism and actively countering his opponent’s approach.

Min has previously worked as a journalist for local daily newspapers in Gwangju and Jeonnam, served as the head of a civic group, and held office as a district mayor.

He gained grassroots autonomy and national governance experience as a secretary in the Blue House under presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in and as a two-term mayor of Gwangsan District in Gwangju.

During the last presidential election, he was the first among lawmakers from the Honam region to endorse then-candidate Lee Jae-myung and, as the only two-term National Assembly member from Gwangju in the 22nd National Assembly, stood at the forefront of legislative efforts for prosecutorial reform.

Min is a native of Haenam, Jeonnam. He graduated from Chonnam National University with a degree in sociology and earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees from the same institution.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.