Cheon Ha-ram rejects Reform Party bid for Gyeonggi South constituency

Cheon Ha-ram, floor leader of the Reform Party, has publicly declined a request to run for office in the southern Gyeonggi region during the 2028 general election. The disagreement surfaced during an emergency committee meeting where Lee Ki-in, the party's emergency response committee chair, made a final public appeal for Cheon to join the party's strategic push to expand its presence in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Cheon expressed his intention to maintain his political base in Suncheon, specifically the Suncheon-gap district, where he has been building local support since entering politics in 2020. He emphasized the importance of honoring his promises to the citizens of Suncheon and maintaining public trust through consistency.

The party's strategy aims to concentrate resources around Hwaseong, the constituency of Lee Jun-seok, to increase seats in the capital region. While other members, such as Lee Ju-young, have accepted candidacy in the Gyeonggi area, Cheon stated that his decision to remain in Suncheon is not a matter for compromise.