Ahead of the Democratic Party of Korea primary for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Metropolitan City mayor race in the June 3 local elections, preliminary candidate Shin Jeong-hoon completed the "2026 Chonnam National University 5·18 Campus Marathon" on Monday, drawing praise for reaffirming the spirit of responsible politics.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Chonnam National University President Lee Geun-bae, and all three Democratic Party primary candidates for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Metropolitan City mayor race attended the event.
The marathon featured a 5.18-kilometer course symbolizing the May 18 Democratic Uprising and a 10-kilometer course open to public participation.
Shin's camp said that while all three primary candidates — Shin Jeong-hoon, Min Hyeong-bae, and Kim Yeong-rok — attended, Shin was the only one who actually completed the race.
Prior to the marathon, Shin joined Prime Minister Kim for a tea meeting with University President Lee, where they discussed regional issues and development directions, reaffirming their shared commitment to the success of the Lee Jae-myung government and the future of the region.
Prime Minister Kim, who entered university in the same year as Shin in 1982, served three years in prison on charges related to the occupation protest at the U.S. Cultural Center in Seoul and the Samintoo incident while serving as Seoul National University student council president. Shin also served a three-year sentence for participating in the occupation as a Korea University representative at the time.
The two men, who stood together on the frontlines of the 1980s pro-democracy movement, running side by side in the marathon symbolically demonstrated that the bond they forged fighting for democracy in their youth continues through today's "responsible politics," according to sources.
"Politics is ultimately about taking responsibility to the very end," Shin said. "The integration of Jeonnam and Gwangju must not be a mere declaration but responsible politics that resolves conflicts and challenges through to completion." He added, "What residents want is not distant slogans about the future but someone who delivers immediate results. This marathon finish demonstrated the Shin Jeong-hoon approach — actions, not words, and seeing things through to the end."
Following the 5·18 Campus Marathon, Shin attended an Easter service at Gwangju Yangrim Church and a joint Easter service in the Naju and Gwangju area.
Meanwhile, Cho Jeong-sik, presidential aide for political affairs, publicly endorsed Shin the previous day, calling him "the right person for the integrated city mayor post." Cho added, "Shin is the candidate who most resembles President Lee Jae-myung," and assessed him as "the right person to lead regional development in step with the government."