Kim Suk-kyun Gunning
for GNP Ticket in Ansan

Touted as the most suitable candidate for the recovery of Ansan's economy

Kim Suk-kyun is running for a Grand National Party (GNP) nomination race in the Sangnok A Electoral District in Ansan for the general elections slated for April 9.
The 55-year-old, who unsuccessfully ran for the 17th national polls, is the sole politician from the GNP to have built up his electoral foundation in the district, one of Ansan's four electoral districts, as he has continuously worked to provide assistance to the underprivileged.
Kim is most likely to be nominated on the GNP ticket as he was reconfirmed as the chief of the electoral district by the GNP headquarters late last year.
Ansan is usually considered to be one of the vulnerable areas for the conservative GNP, which receives less support from low-income earners in the area. But Kim is touted as one of candidates with a high chance of winning since he has earned support from those in the low-income bracket during his long-standing electoral activities.
Political pundits said Kim is expected to play a part in the development of the Ansan economy to serve as a bridge between Seoul and Ansan in accordance with the election pledges on the recovery of regional economies, made by President Lee Myung-bak during his election campaign. The word is that Kim played a part in Ansan's hosting GNP presidential candidate Lee's ceremony to launch his presidential campaign.
Kim, nicknamed "Ansan's Deng Xiaoping"for his short stature and charismatic personality, has worked out his own master plan to develop the Banwoel and Shiwha industrial complex area, a famous center of chimney industries, into an IT industry center, to be included in his election campaign pledges if he is confirmed as a candidate on the GNP ticket. Among Kim's other public pledges would be large-size projects, including ones related to the construction of electrified railways connecting the Suin (Suwon-Incheon) railway line and Shinansan.
Political analysts said that Kim would make the most of his long-time career in the GNP headquarters in realizing his vision of transforming the industrial complex area, which could never be feasible without support from the central government.
In fact, he has been with the GNP for 17 years. Kim, who started his political career in the era of the Democratic Justice Party, the predecessor of the GNP, has held major GNP positions including the longest-serving GNP bureau chief of civil affairs.
Kim has earned a reputation as a troubleshooter as he has aggressively made efforts to solve grievances and complaints raised by residents. On Jan. 15, 2008, he had a meeting with the residents in Sa 2-dong in Ansan in which some citizens raised the issue of poor TV reception in a fringe area of the district. He immediately called the relevant officials of both the Ansan municipal government and Korea Broadcasting System, who promised to fix it, drawing wild applause from the attendees.
A native of Iksan, North Jeolla Province, born in 1952, Kim majored in politics at Free University in Berlin. nw

(right photo) Kim Suk-kyun, a candidate for the GNP general election nomination race, delivers a speech in a meeting.Kim has frequently visited facilities for accommodating the underprivileged, including orphanages.