Cho Eung-chun, a former lawmaker who left the Democratic Party of Korea and joined the Reform Party ahead of the 22nd general election, has declared his candidacy for Gyeonggi Province governor. The Gyeonggi gubernatorial race is shaping up as a three-way contest among the Democratic Party, the People Power Party, and the Reform Party.
"I hesitated for a very long time. I agonized a great deal," Cho said on his Facebook page on the 27th, adding that he would "run for Gyeonggi governor."
He pointed out that "while the two major parties, which pay lip service to people's livelihoods, have been fighting, the 14 million residents of Gyeonggi Province have been forced to live the life of 'the egg white wrapping around Seoul.'"
"I have served as a Democratic Party lawmaker and also played a role under a conservative administration," he said. "I take pride in knowing well what the problems are, where things get stuck, and why nothing changes."
"Rather than vested-interest candidates from both parties whom voters cannot bring themselves to support, someone they truly want to vote for — no matter how I look at it, there is only me," he added. "I, Cho Eung-chun, will do it."
Cho served as senior secretary for public discipline at the presidential office during the Park Geun-hye administration. He later joined the Democratic Party of Korea and served two terms as a lawmaker representing Namyangju-A in Gyeonggi Province, winning election in the 20th general election. After clashing with the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction, he left the party and joined the Reform Party in 2024.
