Rookie Governor Lee Won-Taek Wavers Amid Message Management Failures

Casino Pledge Quietly Walked Back: "No Review Conducted"

Unspoken Remarks Included in Press Release, Later Retracted

Concerns Over Dysfunctional Political Operations at the Top Level

The 9th-term administration of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province has found itself embroiled in controversy over Governor Won-Taek Lee's repeated changes in stance less than a month after taking office. Critics argue that a lack of message management from the inexperienced governor has become evident, with core policies being announced and then explained away in quick succession.

A scene from the press conference on the administration direction of the 9th term by Won-Taek Lee, Governor of Jeonbuk Special Autonomous Province, held on the 13th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On July 13th, at his first press conference since inauguration, Governor Lee announced plans to build an integrated resort—with a casino open to Korean nationals—in the Saemangeum tourism and leisure area. He also cited specific companies expressing investment interest, stating that legal grounds for the project would be established by amending the Jeonbuk Special Act.

However, after facing strong opposition from local civic groups, Governor Lee changed his stance within a week, stating, "I only answered a question; I never instructed any review of this at the working level." Chief Secretary Ho-yoon Jung also backed up the governor’s explanation on July 22nd, saying, "There was no review since it was never included in the pledges." This effectively downgraded the policy idea, which had been floated as a key initiative at the outset of his term, to a mere suggestion.

The issues with message management did not end there. In a press release from a senior staff meeting distributed on July 21st, Jeonbuk Province officials quoted Governor Lee as saying, regarding the government’s second phase of public institution relocations, "I will show everything I can, even if it means going on a hunger strike." However, it was later revealed that the governor had not actually made this remark; it had been inserted by staff as an expression of determination during the drafting process.

The following day, Chief Secretary Jung corrected the record, acknowledging, "A hunger strike reference by a governor affiliated with the ruling party could be perceived as excessive." He also admitted that the press release had been distributed without prior coordination between the spokesperson’s office and the secretary’s office.

The fact that words the governor never uttered ended up in an official press release demonstrates that political functions at the provincial government’s top level are not operating as they should.

Within the local political scene, concerns are mounting. Some point out that it is unclear whether the governor abandoned the policy in response to public opinion or to divert attention from other issues. Others worry that the governor’s message is becoming increasingly unsteady and inconsistent, lacking a solid, stepwise approach.

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