Seoul District Mayors: People Power Party Expected to Win 17, Democratic Party 8 (3rd Report)

Seoul Mayoral District Election under the 8th Term: People Power Party Wins 17 Districts Including Jongno (Jeong Munheon), Jung-gu (Kim Gilsung), Yongsan (Park Heeyoung), Gwangjin (Kim Kyungho), Dongdaemun (Lee Pilhyung), Dobong (Oh Eonseok), Seodaemun (Lee Seongheon), Mapo (Park Gangsu), Yangcheon (Lee Gijae), Gangseo (Kim Taewoo), Guro (Mun Heonil), Yeongdeungpo (Choi Hogwon), Dongjak (Park Ilha), Seocho (Jeon Seongsu), Gangnam (Jo Seongmyeong), Songpa (Seo Gangseok), Gangdong (Lee Suhee); Democratic Party Secures 8 Districts Including Seongdong (Jeong Wono), Jungnang (Ryu Gyeonggi), Seongbuk (Lee Seungro), Nowon (Oh Seungrok), Eunpyeong (Kim Mikyung), Geumcheon (Yoo Seonghun), Gwanak (Park Junhee)

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] In the 8th term Seoul district mayor elections, the People Power Party is expected to have 17 winners or near-certain victors in Jongno (Jeong Mun-heon), Jung-gu (Kim Gil-seong), Yongsan (Park Hee-young), Gwangjin (Kim Kyung-ho), Dongdaemun (Lee Pil-hyung), Dobong (Oh Eon-seok), Seodaemun (Lee Seong-heon), Mapo (Park Kang-su), Yangcheon (Lee Gi-jae), Gangseo (Kim Tae-woo), Guro (Moon Heon-il), Yeongdeungpo (Choi Ho-kwon), Dongjak (Park Il-ha), Seocho (Jeon Seong-su), Gangnam (Jo Seong-myeong), Songpa (Seo Gang-seok), and Gangdong-gu (Lee Soo-hee).

On the other hand, the Democratic Party is expected to have 8 winners or near-certain victors in Seongdong (Jung Won-o), Jungnang (Ryu Gyeong-gi), Seongbuk (Lee Seung-ro), Nowon (Oh Seung-rok), Eunpyeong (Kim Mi-kyung), Geumcheon (Yoo Seong-hoon), and Gwanak-gu (Park Jun-hee).

Thus, compared to the March 9 presidential election where the People Power Party candidate Yoon Seok-yeol won in 14 out of 25 Seoul districts, it appears they have gained 3 more districts in this local election.

In the June 1 local elections, former National Assembly member Jeong Mun-heon was elected as Jongno district mayor, and People Power Party candidate Kim Gil-seong, a former presidential office administrator, was elected as Jung-gu district mayor.

Jeong Mun-heon, the People Power Party candidate for Jongno district mayor, defeated Yoo Chan-jong by a margin of 3,068 votes, marking the first time a People Power Party candidate was elected after former Democratic Party mayor Kim Young-jong served three terms.

Kim Gil-seong, the People Power Party candidate for Jung-gu mayor, narrowly defeated the incumbent Democratic Party mayor Seo Yang-ho by 489 votes.

Additionally, Park Hee-young, a special advisor to Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se, was elected as Yongsan district mayor representing the People Power Party, while Jung Won-o, the incumbent mayor, was re-elected in Seongdong district. Yongsan is a traditionally conservative area where Park’s victory was anticipated early on. Park defeated Democratic Party candidate Kim Cheol-sik by 24,000 votes.

Notably, Jung Won-o, mayor of Seongdong district, demonstrated strong influence by winning against People Power Party candidate Kang Maeng-hoon by 21,080 votes in a district where Yoon Seok-yeol had previously won by about 20,000 votes (10%) over Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung in the last presidential election.

Moreover, Mayor Jung is regarded as having established a stronghold in Seongdong, having served as an aide to National Assembly member Lim Jong-seok from Seongdong for 8 years and as Seongdong district mayor for 8 years.

In Gwangjin district, People Power Party candidate Kim Kyung-ho defeated Democratic Party incumbent Kim Seon-gap by approximately 3,800 votes, marking the first conservative party district mayor in 12 years since the 4th term of direct elections. Kim is a veteran who passed the administrative examination and has held positions such as deputy mayor of Gwangjin, director of Seoul city’s urban transportation office, welfare office, and city council secretariat (grade 1), and president of the Seoul Agricultural and Marine Products Corporation. Notably, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon recruited Kim as the People Power Party’s Gwangjin Eul district committee chairman, leading to his candidacy for district mayor. Throughout the election, Kim emphasized his expertise in urban administration alongside Mayor Oh to develop Gwangjin, earning the support of local residents.

In Dongdaemun district, People Power Party candidate Lee Pil-hyung defeated Democratic Party candidate Choi Dong-min by about 9,423 votes, opening a new era of conservative district mayors after 12 years. Lee is expected to be the only former National Intelligence Service official elected as a Seoul district mayor.

In Jungnang district, a contest between former Seoul deputy mayors, incumbent mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi defeated People Power Party candidate Na Jin-gu by 10,631 votes.

In Dobong district, People Power Party candidate Oh Eon-seok defeated Democratic Party candidate Kim Yong-seok by about 2,400 votes.

In Seongbuk district, Democratic Party incumbent Lee Seung-ro is leading People Power Party candidate Jeong Tae-geun, a former National Assembly member, by 1,346 votes.

In Gangbuk district, Democratic Party candidate Lee Soon-hee defeated People Power Party candidate Lee Seong-hee by 433 votes, confirming her victory.

In Dobong district, Oh Eon-seok, a former aide to former National Assembly member Kim Seon-dong who started his political career as secretary to former lawmaker Kim Geun-tae, defeated local native Democratic Party candidate Kim Yong-seok, who served three terms as Dobong district councilor and three terms as Seoul city councilor, by 2,466 votes.

In Nowon district, Democratic Party incumbent Oh Seung-rok defeated People Power Party candidate Lim Jae-hyeok by 15,311 votes, securing re-election.

In Eunpyeong district, Democratic Party candidate Kim Mi-kyung defeated People Power Party candidate Nam Gi-jeong by 7,544 votes, successfully winning a second term.

In Seodaemun district, People Power Party candidate Lee Seong-heon, a former National Assembly member, defeated Democratic Party candidate Park Woon-gi by 9,604 votes.

In Mapo district, People Power Party candidate Park Kang-su defeated incumbent mayor Yoo Dong-gyun by 3,397 votes.

In Yangcheon district, People Power Party candidate Lee Gi-jae defeated incumbent mayor Kim Soo-young by 21,547 votes.

In Gangseo district, People Power Party candidate Kim Tae-woo defeated Democratic Party candidate Kim Seung-hyun by 6,739 votes.

In Guro district, People Power Party candidate Moon Heon-il is confirmed to have defeated Democratic Party candidate Park Dong-woong by 6,552 votes.

In Geumcheon district, Democratic Party incumbent Yoo Seong-hoon defeated People Power Party candidate Oh Bong-su by 6,233 votes.

In Yeongdeungpo district, People Power Party candidate Choi Ho-kwon defeated Democratic Party incumbent Chae Hyun-il by 6,233 votes.

In Dongjak district, People Power Party candidate Park Il-ha defeated Democratic Party candidate Oh Young-soo by 13,116 votes.

In Gwanak district, Democratic Party candidate Park Jun-hee defeated People Power Party candidate Lee Haeng-ja by 13,112 votes.

In Seocho district, People Power Party candidate Jeon Seong-su, former deputy mayor of Incheon, won with 77,625 votes (71% vote share), defeating Democratic Party candidate Kim Ki-young.

In Gangnam district, People Power Party candidate Jo Seong-myeong defeated Democratic Party incumbent Jung Soon-gyun by a margin of 97,625 votes, securing over 70% of the vote compared to Jung’s approximately 30%.

In Songpa district, People Power Party candidate Seo Gang-seok defeated Democratic Party incumbent Park Seong-su by 51,432 votes.

In Gangdong district, People Power Party candidate Lee Soo-hee defeated Democratic Party candidate Yang Jun-wook by 29,349 votes.

Thus, former National Assembly members Jeong Mun-heon in Jongno and Lee Seong-heon in Seodaemun were elected.

Among former high-ranking Seoul city officials, five were elected: Kim Kyung-ho in Gwangjin, Ryu Gyeong-gi in Jungnang, Choi Ho-kwon in Yeongdeungpo, Jeon Seong-su in Seocho, and Seo Gang-seok in Songpa.

Additionally, six incumbent district mayors were re-elected: Jung Won-o in Seongdong, Ryu Gyeong-gi in Jungnang, Oh Seung-rok in Nowon, Kim Mi-kyung in Eunpyeong, Yoo Seong-hoon in Geumcheon, and Park Jun-hee in Gwanak.