Expected Close Contest: Yoon Byung-tae Plays a Key Role in Naju Mayor Election Victory
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Amid the advance of independent candidates in the Jeonnam region during the June 1 simultaneous local elections, it is noteworthy that no independent candidates emerged in the areas where National Assembly member Shin Jeong-hoon serves as the committee chairman.
This has led to forecasts that Shin's position within the Democratic Party of Korea will become more solid.
According to the Central Election Commission on the 2nd, independent candidates were elected in 7 out of 22 basic local government heads in Jeonnam.
These include Mokpo, Suncheon, Jindo, Muan, Yeonggwang, Gwangyang, and Gangjin, where the Democratic Party did not nominate a candidate.
Despite the special characteristic in Honam where winning the primary is tantamount to winning the election, the recent surge of independents is analyzed as a result of noise surrounding nominations and backlash against the expanded control of regional committee chairpersons who concurrently serve as incumbent lawmakers, suggesting that the repercussions will not be insignificant going forward.
In particular, conflicts are expected to continue due to lingering resentment from the nomination process between the elected officials such as Mayor Park Hong-ryul of Mokpo, Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu of Suncheon, Mayor Jeong In-hwa of Gwangyang, and County Governor Kim San of Muan, and the respective local National Assembly members.
With the local elections concluded, incumbent lawmakers who must prepare for the upcoming general election and those considering candidacy must now engage in strategic maneuvering.
Among them, National Assembly member Shin, representing the Naju-Hwasun area, is regarded as having expanded his political standing as Democratic Party candidates Gu Bok-gyu for Hwasun County Governor and Yoon Byung-tae for Naju Mayor won against independent candidates.
For Shin, who frequently faced opposition such as some basic local government heads openly supporting candidates competing against him in the last general election, this is seen as a great reinforcement and a step forward in his standing within the party.
In fact, the Naju mayoral election, initially expected to be a close race, ended somewhat easily with candidate Yoon Byung-tae securing 58.81% of the vote, comfortably ahead by 25.5% over candidate Kang In-gyu, who received 33.31%.
An insider in the local political scene said, “Of course, Shin also faced various noises during the nomination process ahead of this local election, but ultimately, he was the only Jeonnam district lawmaker who did not allow independent candidates,” adding, “He is regarded favorably within the party, and his political position has become more solid.”
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