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Wando County is in South Jeolla Province, situated along the southwestern, island-dotted coast of South Korea.

 Kim Shin, an independent candidate for Wando County Governor, held a departure ceremony on May 21, the first official day of the election campaign, and officially entered the race for his fourth attempt at the governorship.

Seoul, May 21 (DPnet).–  Kim Shin, an independent candidate for Wando County Governor, held a departure ceremony on May 21, the first official day of the election campaign, and officially entered the race for his fourth attempt at the governorship.

At 11 a.m., Kim held the departure ceremony in front of the Wando Seaweed Center, drawing a large crowd of supporters and local residents as he began his efforts to win votes. The venue was filled with enthusiastic supporters chanting Kim's name, with slogans expressing a desire for change echoing throughout the event.

At the ceremony, Kim highlighted the core theme, "Interests or conscience," pledging, "I will demonstrate politics based on honesty and dedication." He fired up the crowd by leading the chant, "We can't go on like this—let's make a change," amplifying the public's yearning for transformation.

He recalled his time in his twenties, working for five years at Korea Heavy Industries in Changwon, Gyeongnam, where he led some 10,000 workers at the forefront of the democratic labor movement. He stressed, "I have worked with a spirit of self-sacrifice, not for individual gain but for the community."

After returning to his hometown of Wando, Kim served as President of the Jeonnam District Junior Chamber (JC) and took the lead in civic society movements such as the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and the Citizens' Solidarity, playing a key role in ensuring healthy checks and balances within the region.

Kim served for eight years as a member of the 4th and 5th Wando County Councils, gaining extensive experience in community policy. After failing to secure the Democratic Party nomination in the 2022 elections, he chose to leave the party to build an independent electoral base focused on "honesty and conscience." This marks his fourth bid to lead the county.

While running as an independent without the backing of a large party organization, the key issue in this election is whether his platform of "honesty and conscience" will translate into actual votes.

Meanwhile, the upcoming June 3 Wando County Governor election—now an open race due to the three-term limit—looks set to heat up, with a fierce head-to-head contest expected between Woo Hongseop, the Democratic Party’s officially nominated candidate, and independent candidate Kim Shin.