Gong Jae-kwang, Kim Ki-seong Alliance Forms; Yoo Byung-man Joins Choi Won-yong Campaign
The Democratic Party's Pyeongtaek mayoral primary race is undergoing a rapid reshuffle as local figures, previously rivals, successively declare their support for specific candidates. The endorsement of Gong Jae-kwang by former preliminary candidate Kim Ki-seong and Yoo Byung-man's move to Choi Won-yong's campaign team are causing significant shifts in the primary's dynamics.
On the 10th, former preliminary candidate Kim Ki-seong officially endorsed Gong Jae-kwang. Kim, who has served as Vice Chairman of the Pyeongtaek City Council and Chairman of the Pyeongtaek Welfare Foundation, is regarded as an individual with a strong local organizational network and administrative expertise. His backing allows Gong Jae-kwang to integrate Kim's 'administration worth every tax dollar' approach into his own vision of 'immediately executable city governance.' Gong stated, 'Based on Candidate Kim's decision, we will consolidate our sincerity and policies for Pyeongtaek to achieve victory in the main primary.'
Following this, on the 11th, Choi Won-yong announced the formation of a 'one team' with Yoo Byung-man. Yoo Byung-man has accepted the position of General Campaign Committee Chair for Choi Won-yong's campaign team and has begun his activities. He is seen as a symbolic figure of the 'one team spirit,' having served as a joint election committee head for Mayor Jeong Jang-seon in the 2018 local elections, contributing to his victory. Yoo stated, 'Choi Won-yong is the true successor of the Democratic Party in Pyeongtaek,' explaining his support, while Choi remarked, 'With our unified strength, we will garner overwhelming support from the citizens of Pyeongtaek.'
These successive alliances are escalating the Democratic Party's Pyeongtaek mayoral primary beyond a contest of individual candidates into a battle of organizational forces. Candidate Gong Jae-kwang is positioning the combination of 'administrative expertise' and 'field operations' as his winning card, while candidate Choi Won-yong is highlighting the union of 'administrative professionalism' and 'traditional party loyalty' as his key strategy.
The Pyeongtaek chapter of the Democratic Party confirmed Gong Jae-kwang, Seo Hyun-ok, and Choi Won-yong as the three candidates advancing to the main primary on the 9th. The main primary will be held over two days, from the 13th to the 14th, with 50% weight given to votes from eligible party members and 50% to public opinion surveys.