Kim Kwan-young Declares Independent Run for Jeonbuk Governor After Acquittal: What’s Next?

Kim Kwan-young | 2026.05.08

Translation result

Kim Kwan-young Holds Press Conference(Jeonju = Yonhap) Reporter Jung Gyeong-jae = Kim Kwan-young, who has decided to run as an independent in the governor’s race for the North Jeolla Special Self-Governing Province, speaks at the Jeonbuk Provincial Assembly briefing room on May 7, 2026. jaya@yna.co.kr(Jeonju = Yonhap) Reporter Jung Gyeong-jae = Kim Kwan-young, who has decided to run as an independent in the governor’s race for the North Jeolla Special Self-Governing Province, speaks at the Jeonbuk Provincial Assembly briefing room on May 7, 2026. jaya@yna.co.kr

Prosecutors have cleared Kim Kwan-young, an independent candidate in the North Jeolla Special Self-Governing Province gubernatorial race, of allegations that he aided an insurrection. Kim’s campaign said a fax arrived at the provincial government office at 6 p.m. on May 7 notifying them that investigators found no grounds to charge him with aiding an insurrection or with dereliction of duty. The allegations stemmed from claims that Kim cooperated with the regional martial law command to carry out the closure of the Jeonbuk provincial office during the state of emergency declared by former President Yoon Suk‑yeol on Dec. 3, 2024. At a May 4 press briefing, Kim said he would retire from politics if the special prosecutor indicted him in this case. #KimKwanyoung #SpecialProsecutor Yonhap News TV — tips and inquiries: KakaoTalk/LINE jebo23 Jeong Hojin (hojeans@yna.co.kr)