[6.3 Election] Independent Candidate Kim Shin Opens Wando County Governor Campaign Office

Fisheries Cluster and Emergency Medical System Take Center Stage Among Five Key Pledges

A Fierce Head-to-Head Showdown Expected with Democratic Party Candidate Woo Hongseop

Kim Shin, a preliminary candidate for Wando County Governor, held an opening ceremony for his election office and officially launched his campaign to win voters’ support. Candidate Kim identified innovation in the fisheries industry and the expansion of public healthcare—Wando’s most pressing issues—as his top priorities.

According to Kim Shin’s campaign on May 3, the opening ceremony held on May 1 in Wando-eup was a great success, with a large turnout of local residents and supporters. The event featured congratulatory speeches, expressions of support from guests, and a speech by the candidate, serving as a platform to share policy visions for Wando’s future.

Kim Shin, a preliminary candidate for Wando County Governor, held an opening ceremony for his election office and began a full-scale campaign to win votes. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

Local figures who delivered congratulatory remarks and messages of support unanimously called for “governance that serves the residents.” Former Director of the Wando Cultural Center Jung Youngrae, Chairman of Wando Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations Choi Sunjoo, and Bogil-myeon resident representative Lee Nanyong expressed their expectations for Kim, stating, “The county governor must be humble before the people and should discover and realize what ordinary citizens truly desire.”

In addition, Wando youth Kang Sunyoung and Jung Daesung, Chairman of the Wando Rotary Club, voiced their support, emphasizing the need for authentic leadership that puts people before policy and transforms a stagnant Wando. In particular, Kim’s daughter, Wonjeong, shared “the sincerity of a father I have seen up close,” resonating deeply with supporters.

In his speech, Kim Shin declared, “Wando currently faces the crises of population decline and economic stagnation, but these are also opportunities for a new leap forward.” He continued, “By maximizing Wando’s strengths in the sea, fisheries, and tourism, I will create a vibrant city that encourages those who have left to return.”

Candidate Kim unveiled specific blueprints for the fisheries and healthcare sectors as part of his “five key pledges” to realize these goals.

First is the “complete transformation of the abalone industry and establishment of a fisheries cluster.” To achieve full industrialization—from production to processing, distribution, and export—he pledged to: ▲ establish a large-scale private investment abalone processing complex with an annual capacity of 10,000 tons; ▲ introduce a minimum price guarantee system for abalone; and ▲ expand three major sales channels, including China and Southeast Asia. Through these measures, he aims to increase fishing household income by more than 30 percent.

The opening ceremony of the election office was a great success with the attendance of local residents and supporters. Photo by Junkyung Lee

Second is “attracting a regional public medical center and establishing an emergency medical system.” To address healthcare blind spots, he promised to: ▲ attract a public medical center with 300 beds linked to national funding; ▲ ensure all essential departments (such as surgery and obstetrics) are available; and ▲ establish 24/7 emergency helicopter and maritime transfer systems for island regions. The goal is to raise the emergency golden time response rate to over 90 percent, restoring healthcare accessibility to the national average.

Candidate Kim emphasized, “With honesty and dedication, I will restore broken trust and, together with the residents, build a new Wando where children and young people can realize their dreams.”

Meanwhile, the upcoming June 3 Wando County Governor election—now an open race due to the three-term limit—looks set to heat up, with a fierce head-to-head contest expected between Woo Hongseop, the Democratic Party’s officially nominated candidate, and independent candidate Kim Shin.

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