Oh Jun-hwan, a preliminary candidate for Goyang mayor from the People Power Party (PPP) who had shaved his head and launched a hunger strike, ended his protest after six days. He decided to set aside his anger over being excluded from the primary and support the party's nominee.
In a statement released on the 31st, Oh said, "The anger and regret over being excluded from the primary process despite the momentum created by public sentiment still remain." However, he added, "I will no longer let this fight stay mired in anger." He declared, "I will put the future of Goyang ahead of personal emotions and go among the citizens to pave the way for Goyang's victory."
Oh had strongly protested after the PPP's nomination management committee decided on the 19th to hold a two-way primary between incumbent Goyang Mayor Lee Dong-hwan and former Goyang Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Hong Heung-seok, cutting him off from the race. Oh said, "It is unfair that a candidate who consistently ranked first or second in polls was excluded from the primary." He shaved his head in front of the party headquarters in Yeouido on the 24th and began an indefinite hunger strike at the plaza in front of Madu Station on the 26th.
Oh pledged, "I will run harder with a humbler attitude," adding, "I will carry both the demand for fairness and the responsibility toward public sentiment to the very end."
