Hwang Myung-pil, the Justice Innovation Party's candidate for Ulsan mayor, announced his withdrawal on May 14 and declared his intention to unify with Democratic Party candidate Kim Sang-wook. He expressed hope for a unification between Kim Sang-wook and Kim Jong-hoon of the Progressive Party as well.
During a press conference at the Ulsan City Council, Hwang stated, "Given the urgency felt by both Kim Sang-wook and myself, we have made a political decision to unify, setting aside party interests to fulfill our promise to the citizens and achieve the Justice Innovation Party's goal of 'Zero National Power.'"
He emphasized, "I hope today's first unification serves as a meaningful message to the Democratic Party and acts as a catalyst for a second unification with Kim Jong-hoon."
There are also predictions that a unification between Kim Sang-wook and Kim Jong-hoon will occur soon. Democratic Party spokesperson Kang Jun-hyun mentioned to reporters at the National Assembly that regarding the Ulsan mayoral election, "If the names of withdrawn candidates appear on the ballot, it could confuse voters. It would be preferable to finalize this by the candidate registration deadline on the 15th."
Meanwhile, Hwang's withdrawal has reshaped the Ulsan mayoral race into a four-way contest, with two candidates each from the conservative and progressive camps. Analysts suggest that a unification between Kim Sang-wook and Kim Jong-hoon could significantly impact the election dynamics. Conservative candidates Kim Du-gyeom from the People Power Party and Park Maeng-woo, an independent, have announced a halt to discussions on unification.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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