In the 8th term Seoul district mayor elections, People Power Party candidates won in Jongno (Jeong Munheon), Jung-gu (Kim Gilsung), Yongsan (Park Heeyoung), Gwangjin (Kim Kyungho), Dongdaemun (Lee Pilhyung), Dobong (Oh Eunseok), Seodaemun (Lee Sunghun), Mapo (Park Gangsu), Yangcheon (Lee Gijae), Gangseo (Kim Taewoo), Guro (Moon Heonil), Yeongdeungpo (Choi Hogwon), Dongjak (Park Ilha), Seocho (Jeon Seongsu), Gangnam (Jo Seongmyeong), Songpa (Seo Gangseok), and Gangdong (Lee Suhee) totaling 17 members... Democratic Party candidates won in Seongdong (Jeong Wono), Jungnang (Ryu Kyunggi), Seongbuk (Lee Seungro), Gangbuk (Lee Soonhee), Nowon (Oh Seungrok), Eunpyeong (Kim Mikyung), Geumcheon (Yoo Seonghun), and Gwanak-gu (Park Junho)
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] In the 8th term Seoul district mayor elections, the People Power Party won in 17 districts: Jongno (Jeong Munheon), Jung-gu (Kim Gilsung), Yongsan (Park Heeyoung), Gwangjin (Kim Kyungho), Dongdaemun (Lee Pilhyung), Dobong (Oh Eonseok), Seodaemun (Lee Sunghun), Mapo (Park Gangsu), Yangcheon (Lee Gijae), Gangseo (Kim Taewoo), Guro (Moon Heonil), Yeongdeungpo (Choi Hogwon), Dongjak (Park Ilha), Seocho (Jeon Seongsu), Gangnam (Jo Seongmyeong), Songpa (Seo Gangseok), and Gangdong (Lee Suhee).
On the other hand, the Democratic Party won in 8 districts: Seongdong (Jung Wono), Jungnang (Ryu Gyeonggi), Seongbuk (Lee Seungro), Gangbuk (Lee Soonhee), Nowon (Oh Seungrok), Eunpyeong (Kim Mikyung), Geumcheon (Yoo Seonghun), and Gwanak (Park Junhoi).
Thus, following the March 9 presidential election where the People Power Party’s candidate Yoon Seok-yeol won in 14 out of 25 Seoul districts, the party gained 3 more districts in this local election.
In the June 1 local elections, former National Assembly member Jeong Munheon was elected as Jongno district mayor, and People Power Party candidate Kim Gilsung, former presidential office administrator, was elected as Jung-gu district mayor.
Jeong Munheon, 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 Youngjong served three terms.
Kim Gilsung, the People Power Party candidate for Jung-gu district mayor, narrowly defeated the incumbent Democratic Party mayor Seo Yangho by 489 votes.
Additionally, Park Heeyoung, special advisor to Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se, was elected as Yongsan district mayor representing the People Power Party, while Jung Wono, the incumbent, was re-elected as Seongdong district mayor. Yongsan is a traditionally conservative area where Park’s victory was anticipated early on. Park defeated Democratic Party candidate Kim Cheolsik by 24,000 votes.
Notably, Jung Wono, Seongdong district mayor, demonstrated strong influence by winning against People Power Party candidate Kang Maenghun by 21,080 votes in Seongdong, where in the last presidential election Yoon Seok-yeol won over Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung by about 20,000 votes (10%). Furthermore, Jung is regarded as having established the "Jung Wono stronghold" in Seongdong, having served 8 years as aide to National Assembly member Lim Jongseok from Seongdong and 8 years as district mayor.
In Gwangjin district, People Power Party candidate Kim Kyungho defeated Democratic Party incumbent Kim Seonggap by approximately 3,800 votes, ushering in the first conservative district mayor in 12 years since the 4th term of direct elections. Kim is a veteran who passed the administrative examination and served as deputy mayor of Gwangjin, director of Seoul city’s urban transportation office, welfare office, and city council secretariat (grade 1), and later as president of 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 and his collaboration with Mayor Oh to develop Gwangjin, earning the support of local residents.
In Dongdaemun district, People Power Party candidate Lee Pilhyung defeated Democratic Party candidate Choi Dongmin by about 9,423 votes, marking the return of a conservative district mayor 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 Gyeonggi defeated People Power Party candidate Na Jin-gu by 10,631 votes.
In Dobong district, People Power Party candidate Oh Eonseok defeated Democratic Party candidate Kim Yongseok by about 2,400 votes.
In Seongbuk district, Democratic Party candidate and incumbent mayor Lee Seungro defeated People Power Party candidate Jeong Taegun, a former National Assembly member, by 1,039 votes, securing re-election.
In Gangbuk district, Democratic Party candidate Lee Soonhee defeated People Power Party candidate Lee Sunghui by 433 votes, confirming her election.
In Dobong district, Oh Eonseok, a former aide to ex-National Assembly member Kim Seondong and who began his political career as secretary to former lawmaker Kim Geuntae, defeated local native Democratic Party candidate Kim Yongseok, who served three terms as Dobong district councilor and three terms as Seoul city councilor, by 2,466 votes.
In Nowon district, Democratic Party candidate and incumbent mayor Oh Seungrok defeated People Power Party candidate Lim Jaehyeok by 15,311 votes, securing re-election.
In Eunpyeong district, Democratic Party candidate and incumbent mayor Kim Mikyung defeated People Power Party candidate Nam Gijeong by 7,544 votes, winning re-election.
In Seodaemun district, People Power Party candidate and former National Assembly member Lee Sunghun defeated Democratic Party candidate Park Woonki by 9,604 votes.
In Mapo district, People Power Party candidate Park Gangsu defeated incumbent mayor Yoo Donggyun by 3,397 votes.
In Yangcheon district, People Power Party candidate Lee Gijae defeated incumbent mayor Kim Sooyoung by 21,547 votes.
In Gangseo district, People Power Party candidate Kim Taewoo defeated Democratic Party candidate Kim Seunghyun by 6,739 votes.
In Guro district, People Power Party candidate Moon Heonil defeated Democratic Party candidate Park Dongwoong by 8,336 votes.
In Geumcheon district, Democratic Party candidate and incumbent mayor Yoo Seonghun defeated People Power Party candidate Oh Bongsu by 6,233 votes.
In Yeongdeungpo district, People Power Party candidate Choi Hogwon defeated Democratic Party incumbent Chae Hyunil by 6,233 votes.
In Dongjak district, People Power Party candidate Park Ilha defeated Democratic Party candidate Oh Youngsoo by 13,116 votes.
In Gwanak district, Democratic Party candidate and incumbent mayor Park Junhoi defeated People Power Party candidate Lee Haengja by 13,112 votes.
In Seocho district, People Power Party candidate Jeon Seongsu, former Seoul city general affairs director and former spokesperson for the Blue House and Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as well as former deputy mayor of Incheon, won with 77,625 votes (71% vote share), defeating Democratic Party candidate Kim Giyoung.
In Gangnam district, People Power Party candidate Jo Seongmyeong defeated Democratic Party incumbent Jung Soongyun by 97,625 votes, securing over 70% of the vote compared to Jung’s approximately 30%.
In Songpa district, People Power Party candidate Seo Gangseok defeated Democratic Party incumbent Park Seongsu by 51,432 votes.
In Gangdong district, People Power Party candidate Lee Suhee defeated Democratic Party candidate Yang Junwook by 29,349 votes.
Thus, former National Assembly members Jeong Munheon (Jongno district mayor) and Lee Sunghun (Seodaemun district mayor) were elected. Former lawmaker Jeong Taegun challenged for Seongbuk district mayor but narrowly lost.
Among former high-ranking Seoul city officials, five were elected: Kim Kyungho (Gwangjin), Ryu Gyeonggi (Jungnang), Choi Hogwon (Yeongdeungpo), Jeon Seongsu (Seocho), and Seo Gangseok (Songpa).
Additionally, seven incumbent district mayors were re-elected: Jung Wono (Seongdong), Ryu Gyeonggi (Jungnang), Lee Seungro (Seongbuk), Oh Seungrok (Nowon), Kim Mikyung (Eunpyeong), Yoo Seonghun (Geumcheon), and Park Junhoi (Gwanak).
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