Lee Eun-kyung declares candidacy for union president… Gangneung by-election politics begins in earnest

Ahead of the Gangneung National Assembly by-election to be held in April next year, the election situation is entering full-fledged politics, with prospective candidates holding candidacy conferences.

Lee Eun-kyung, chairman of the Gangneung Asan Hospital Labor Union, held a press conference in front of the main building of Gangneung Asan Hospital on the afternoon of the 10th and officially declared her candidacy for the Gangneung City National Assembly by-election to be held on April 7 next year.

Chairman Lee plans to run as a member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

In his declaration of candidacy, Chairman Lee said, ‘Gangneung, we must change to survive! Under the motto ‘Lee Eun-kyung does it!’, he called for a change in Gangneung politics, which has been centered around one person for a long time.

In his declaration of candidacy, Chairman Lee presented the core vision of ▲ strengthening the essential medical safety net in the Yeongdong region ▲ creating a residential city where youth jobs, housing, and care are connected ▲ fostering future industries based on AI, bio, and cultural contents ▲ early completion of the east coast's win-win development and transportation network connecting Gangneung, Donghae, and Samcheok ▲ building a local economy where workers, companies, and small business owners grow together.

Chairman Lee has served as vice-chairman of the National Federation of Medical Industry Trade Unions, chairman of the women's committee, vice-chairman of the Gangneung regional branch of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, female member of the Presidential Security and Labor Committee, chairman of the labor committee of the Gangwon Provincial Party of the Democratic Party, and vice-chairman of the Euljiro Committee.

With Chairman Lee's declaration of candidacy, there is a great possibility that candidates, including the ruling and opposition parties who have been busy making their faces known behind the scenes, will also appear in the election race in earnest.

Candidates from each political party are already engaged in a full-fledged election campaign, including putting up placards throughout the city last Chuseok to make their names known, and later attending various gatherings, including sports events, to make their faces known.

Meanwhile, Gangneung will hold a by-election on April 7 next year as former People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong was sentenced to prison on charges of receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds.