North Chungcheong Governor Kim Young-hwan Protests Nomination Exclusion, Police Probe as 'Political Persecution'

Governor Kim Young-hwan of North Chungcheong Province has protested his exclusion from the People Power Party's nomination and the investigative authorities' application for an arrest warrant, calling them 'political persecution' and vowing legal action. At a press conference held at the National Assembly's Communication Center on October 18, Kim made these claims and criticized the unexplained nomination exclusion and the investigation process.

He criticized the party for conducting a nomination cutoff ('cutoff') only in the Chungbuk region without providing any reason. Furthermore, at the press conference, Kim denied charges of bribery and questioned the fairness of the investigation.

The North Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency applied for an arrest warrant on October 17 for Kim on charges of bribery and violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. The People Power Party's Nomination Committee had decided to exclude Kim from the nomination on October 16. In response, Kim filed an injunction with the Seoul Southern District Court to suspend the effect of the nomination exclusion, with a hearing scheduled for October 23.