[Local Election Interview] Woo Sangho: "The Person Sent by the President... I Will Revitalize Gangwon Province"

Interview in Chuncheon on May 26

"Among metropolitan governor candidates, I'm the only one who has worked with the President"

"I will build a Gangwon Province that can compete on the global stage"

"The President said he owed me a debt. The way to repay that debt is to support Gangwon Province when I bring important local issues to him. I believe he will provide a great deal of help."

On May 26 in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, Woo Sangho, the Democratic Party candidate for governor of Gangwon Province, responded to a question about how he plans to secure budget and various support for Gangwon Province at a time when ruling party candidates are making much of their so-called 'ruling party premium.' He added, "Among the candidates running for metropolitan governor, I'm the only one who has actually worked with the President," expressing his confidence.

Woo Sang-ho, Democratic Party candidate for Governor of Gangwon Province, is interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at Gongjicheon in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. 2026.5.26 Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Woo explained, "The President was the one who persuaded me to run for this election from the time he was a candidate himself," adding, "For the President as well, the development of Gangwon Province is a dream." He continued, "The President has a strong philosophy of state administration: 'The development of Gangwon Province is essential for the development of Korea,' and 'The development of the regions is essential for the development of Korea.' Because of this philosophy, he has no choice but to support me. Also, since Gangwon Province is the region most at risk of depopulation in the country, his interest will be even greater."

For this election, Woo has proposed development plans for Gangwon Province such as attracting an artificial intelligence (AI) data center from one of Korea's top five conglomerates, fostering the tourism industry, and promoting balanced development of rural areas. As he traveled throughout Gangwon Province, he felt firsthand the urgent need for development. After meeting people across the region, his goal became "to build a Gangwon Province where young people return."

Recently, Woo attracted attention when he mentioned feeling "excited" while meeting with longtime friends such as actors Ahn Naesang and Woo Hyun. When asked why he was excited, he replied, "I entered politics to reform politics, and imagining 'this is how I'll change things' used to make me happy. For the first time in a while, I felt that 'I could really change Gangwon Province.' I find myself imagining that if I achieve such change, those who asked me to 'save Gangwon Province' will say, 'Thank you for your hard work.' I really want to start working soon—there is just so much I want to do."

Regarding his campaign slogan, "The person sent by the President," Woo explained, "It's not about flaunting 'power,' but about my determination to transform Gangwon Province. I will build a Gangwon Province that can compete with the world."

On the morning of the interview, Woo was accompanied by former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Democratic Party lawmaker Park Seonwon. Former Prime Minister Chung visited Chuncheon specifically to attend a meeting of Gangwon Province's senior citizens' association representatives, where he urged support for Woo, saying, "He is a candidate who can secure solid support from the central government." Lawmaker Park, who came from Incheon, even offered to serve as Woo's "Seoul liaison office chief," vowing to help with securing local budgets and legislative processes. A campaign official said, "Even without being asked, many lawmakers from Seoul and other places are offering to help because of their connections to Woo."

Woo Sangho, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Governor of Gangwon Province, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at Gongjicheon, Chuncheon City, Gangwon Province. 2026.5.26 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

The following is a Q&A with Woo Sangho.

-How do you assess the state of the election now? Some polls show the gap narrowing.

▲Compared to when I first started, the previously hidden conservatives are regrouping. The overall landscape does not appear to be shifting dramatically. The biggest changes usually come when candidates are confirmed or during TV debates, but this time, I don't feel that the landscape is being shaken up in that way.

-Former President Park Geun-hye will visit Gangwon Province on the 28th.

▲Former President Park is a figure from the past—once the "queen of elections," but now just a former president. In fact, highlighting that my opponent is pro-Park may not be entirely positive for him. Those who feel nostalgia for former President Park Chung-hee are mostly seniors, and they have already consolidated their support behind my opponent.

Woo Sang-ho, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Governor of Gangwon Province, poses for a photo with The Asia Business Daily at Gongjicheon in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. 2026.5.26 Photo by Hyunmin Kim

-You've probably met many residents of Gangwon Province. What have you been hearing from them?

▲They seem desperate. Gangwon Province is struggling economically and faces severe population outflow, so there is a deep sense of crisis. There is a strong sense of frustration that they can't find a way forward, and expectations for me are high. The campaign slogan, "the person sent by the President," has been received very positively. I've heard people say, "I've always voted for the other side, but for the sake of Gangwon Province, I'd really like to trust you just this once." The words, "I'd like to trust you," rather than "I trust you," are deeply moving. I feel a great sense of responsibility. Some people say, "Please save Gangwon Province." I've seen people say "I'm struggling to make a living" during elections many times before, but this is the first time I've heard "Please save Gangwon Province." It makes me think about finding new policy tools that haven’t been used before.

-How do you evaluate Governor Kim Jin-tae’s four years in office?

▲He didn’t do a good job, which is why people are turning to me. His main feature is that as soon as he was elected, he abandoned most of his key pledges, especially those regarding welfare. He did not keep his promises. Economically, the province has continued to perform poorly: two consecutive years of negative growth, and a net outflow of young people, leading to a decrease in population. Overall, his economic policies are regarded as a failure. None of his major pledges—those that he said he would accomplish—were realized, and that seems to be the main reason for the province’s economic decline.

-How do you plan to change Gangwon Province?

▲Industry and jobs are essential. There are far too few companies. What major companies are based in Gangwon Province? I succeeded in attracting an AI data center from one of Korea’s top five conglomerates to the east coast, and it’s not just a data center—there’s an agreement to develop the related industries as well. For Gangwon Province, this is the first time a major conglomerate is entering the region. By developing these industries, if young people can find jobs with large companies without leaving the province, why would they leave? Developing industry and creating jobs is the top priority.

The second issue is that farming and rural areas are really struggling; we need to make sure farmers can make a living. Balanced growth is vital. If Gangwon Province’s growth contributes to balanced growth for all of Korea, then within Gangwon Province itself, we must also close the gap between urban and rural areas. That’s the kind of work I want to do. Ultimately, my goal is to create a Gangwon Province where young people return, where industry and jobs keep them from leaving.

-The Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Act has been amended several times. What more is needed?

▲The core of the Special Act is to allow the governor to exercise powers usually held by the central government—mainly regarding permits and approvals. But permits alone are not enough. It’s not about money—if there’s no funding, we can’t get projects off the ground, regardless of permits. A fourth amendment to the Special Act is being pursued, but I believe we should make better use of the existing special provisions. My goal is to attract companies. For advanced industrial complexes to take off, we need advanced industries to come in. Gangwon Province hasn’t taken full advantage of the special provisions so far. I plan to make the most of the existing provisions to develop industry. If more is needed, I will pursue further legal amendments over time. However, I think it is wasteful to spend time fighting for more special provisions while neglecting the ones we already have.

-This election is likely to have great significance for the Lee Jaemyung administration as well.

▲First of all, this is the first-year evaluation of the President. This vote is about whether the President has done well or not. If I lose this election in Gangwon Province, it will be seen as a negative evaluation of the President in this region. That’s why I have to work incredibly hard to ensure a positive assessment. For the President, winning this election will add momentum to his policy agenda. In this sense, I believe this election will strengthen the Lee Jaemyung administration.

-You have been in politics for a long time. What do you most want to achieve for Gangwon Province as a politician?

▲I have always preferred taking on roles rather than holding positions for their own sake. When I became floor leader, the party was divided, but I managed to bring about unity. Likewise, I came to Gangwon Province not because I aspired to the governor’s position, but because I wanted to transform Gangwon Province into a region with global competitiveness and make it a model for all of Korea’s provinces. I want to develop industries unique to Gangwon Province. My mission is to reach a point where people come to Gangwon Province and say, "Things have really improved." For that, I want to work incredibly hard for four years.

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