In light of ongoing criticism regarding moral laxity and extreme partisan conflict within local government, citizens of Chuncheon are spearheading an effort to choose 'good candidates' for the city council. On May 5, Chuncheon’s Citizen Selection Committee held a press conference stating that democracy cannot thrive solely on ideals and beliefs; they expressed confidence that the citizens' power demonstrated during the protests against President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration would also manifest in this candidate selection process.

The Citizen Selection Committee, established in January with the aim of empowering citizens to select and elect qualified candidates for the June local elections, is chaired by Professor Kim Dae-geun from Gangwon University. The committee comprises a diverse group of 10 joint representatives from academia, religious organizations, cultural sectors, civil society, farmers, women, and youths, along with 8 working committee members. Their recent meetings have culminated in a detailed evaluation framework that includes criteria such as public orientation, civic capacity, and ethical integrity, disqualifying candidates with issues like tax evasion or criminal records from the evaluation process entirely.

The selection process will include recruiting 1,000 citizens for the 'Citizen Selection Committee' from April 9 to April 12, after which nominees will be accepted from April 13 to April 18. Voting by the committee will take place between April 27 and May 1, with results and selected candidates to be announced on May 7. This initiative aims to foster a more transparent, citizen-driven democratic process in local governance, reflecting a significant shift towards greater public engagement in the political landscape of Chuncheon.