South Korea's Jeolla region begins post-merger party primary for metropolitan mayor
The Democratic Party of Korea has begun the primary process to select a candidate for the integrated Jeolla region’s special metropolitan mayor, a post created by the administrative merger of Jeollanam-do province and Gwangju Metropolitan City. The party notes this is the first local election of its kind since the merger, with seven hopefuls competing for the nomination.
The seven participants are Kim Young-rok (a pre-candidate whose post as Jeollanam-do governor has been suspended), Kang Gi-jeong, Jeong Jun-ho, Jo Cheol-hyeon, Shin Jeong-hoon, Min Hyung-bae, and Lee Byung-hoon. Each has been assigned a ballot symbol: 1 through 7, respectively.
On February 14, the party will hold a joint campaign speech at its central headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, at 2:00 p.m. local time. The event will be streamed online for supporters and observers.
Debates are scheduled for February 17 and 18, split into two groups. Group A comprises Kim Young-rok, Kang Gi-jeong, Jo Cheol-hyeon, and Min Hyung-bae. Group B includes Jeong Jun-ho, Shin Jeong-hoon, and Lee Byung-hoon.
The preselection vote by party members will take place on February 19 and 20, with two candidates slated to be eliminated and five advancing to the main contest. The main election is set for March 3–5, using a 50/50 formula that combines results from party-member ballots and a citizen survey to determine the winner.
If no candidate attains an outright majority in the main contest, the top two will face a runoff between March 12 and 14.
In a notable procedural shift, the party will employ a policy juror system to vet policies rather than a citizen-plebiscite for candidate selection. Thirty policy jurors will participate across three regional segments—Western Jeolla, Eastern Jeolla, and Gwangju—to scrutinize candidates’ policy platforms and competencies. In-depth regional debates are planned for February 27 (Western Jeolla), February 28 (Eastern Jeolla), and March 29 (Gwangju).
Context for readers: the Jeolla region’s integrated mayor post would supervise a merged administrative jurisdiction of Jeollanam-do and Gwangju, covering a broad swath of southwestern Korea. The outcome will shape regional development priorities, budgeting, and policy directions that can influence local investment and supply chains tied to Korean industry, trade, and security policy. The region includes major ports and urban centers that play a role in national economic strategy, logistics, and regional ties with the United States.