Gwangju’s Moon In Declares No Bid for Local Election: What This Means for Regional Integration

On June 3rd, Moon In, the incumbent mayor of Gwangju’s Buk-gu district, announced he would not seek re-election in the upcoming 9th nationwide local elections.

Moon held a press conference on the afternoon of the 10th at the Buk-gu district office, where he declared, “I will not run for the Buk-gu mayoral position. Additionally, I will not pursue candidacy for the integrated Gwangju-Jeonnam Special City mayorship.”

He continued, “While I was among the first to advocate for the administrative merger of Gwangju and Jeonnam last year, I sincerely apologize to everyone who experienced confusion due to the unexpectedly rapid progress of this integration, including my initial withdrawal and subsequent reversal regarding the Buk-gu mayoral position.”

Moon further committed, “I will dedicate myself to the practical integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam as my final duty, striving until the very end. Recognizing that this integration marks a beginning rather than an end, I pledge to give my all to ensure the genuine unification of Gwangju and Jeonnam.”

Expressing gratitude to Buk-gu residents for their trust and support over the past eight years, Moon stated, “I will ensure that my decision not to run for re-election serves as a new beginning rather than an end. I am committed to fulfilling my responsibilities until my very last day in office.”

When questioned about the possibility of running as an independent candidate, Moon drew a clear line, asserting, “I have no intention of betraying the Democratic Party.”