[General Election Battleground] Who Will Win in Gangwon's Top Political District, Ruling or Opposition?

⑪ Gangwon·Jeju - Chuncheon·Cheorwon·Hwacheon·Yanggu Gap, Jeju Si Eul
Chuncheon Election, Unyielding Battleground for Both Ruling and Opposition Parties
Jeju Si Eul, Election Landscape Shaken by Independent Candidacy

Editor's NoteThe 22nd general election on April 10 next year is just over six months away. We explore the electoral landscape by visiting key battlegrounds across the country to gauge the prospects of each constituency. The analysis focuses on areas where close contests occurred between the ruling and opposition parties, where major candidates are running, or where internal party competition is intense, dividing the nation regionally.

Gangwon Province and Jeju Island have relatively small populations compared to other metropolitan autonomous regions, but their political symbolism is significant. Especially for parties aspiring to become national parties, they pay close attention to the election results in these areas.

In the 2020 21st general election, among the 8 seats in Gangwon Province, the United Future Party (predecessor of the People Power Party) won 4 seats, the Democratic Party won 3 seats, and 1 seat went to an independent. In Jeju Island, the Democratic Party secured all 3 seats.

For the People Power Party, securing seats in Jeju Island is an important goal for next year's general election. The Democratic Party is also devising tailored strategies considering the public sentiment trends in Gangwon Province since the last election.

On June 1 last year, the day of the 8th nationwide local elections, voters cast their precious votes at Yeonhui-dong Polling Station No. 6 set up at Seodaemun-gu Office in Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

For the Democratic Party to achieve more than the results of the last election in Gangwon Province, defending the constituency of Chuncheon City, Cheorwon County, Hwacheon County, and Yanggu County A, known as the so-called 'political number one district,' is crucial. The People Power Party showed confidence in the Chuncheon election in both last year's presidential and local elections, so maintaining this momentum is important.

In the 2020 21st general election, Democratic Party candidate Heo Young, who ran in the Chuncheon City, Cheorwon County, Hwacheon County, and Yanggu County A constituency, won with 51.3% of the vote. Kim Jin-tae of the United Future Party received 43.9%, and Justice Party candidate Eom Jae-cheol got 4.1%. Kim Jin-tae, a former Chuncheon National Assembly member, was elected as Governor of Gangwon Province and is currently serving.

Next year's general election is expected to be held in the Chuncheon City, Cheorwon County, Hwacheon County, and Yanggu County A constituency without Kim Jin-tae, the Governor of Gangwon Province, in the candidate pool.

The Democratic Party's candidate pool includes incumbent lawmaker Heo Young, former Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon, and former Chuncheon Mayor Lee Jae-soo.

The People Power Party is preparing for candidacy by proportional representative lawmaker Noh Yong-ho. Lawyer Kang Dae-gyu, lawyer Kim Hye-ran, and former SK Group (SUPEX Council) Vice President Park Young-choon are also attracting attention as potential candidates. Deputy Governor of Gangwon Province Jeong Gwang-yeol, Gangwon Provincial Assembly member Choi Seong-hyun, and former KBS News9 anchor Hwang Sang-moo's candidacy are also focal points of interest.

In Jeju Island, the question is whether the conservative party's losing streak, ongoing since 2004, will continue or be halted. The People Power Party is devising a Jeju-specific strategy, with the Jeju-si Eul constituency, where the election dynamics are expected to be complex, drawing attention.

Jeju-si Eul was won by Democratic Party candidate Oh Young-hoon in the 2020 21st general election with 55.4% of the vote. United Future Party candidate Bu Sang-il received 41.1%, and Justice Party candidate Kang Eun-joo got 2.7%.

Oh Young-hoon resigned from his National Assembly seat after being elected Governor of Jeju Province. Currently, Kim Han-gyu of the Democratic Party, who won a by-election, is the incumbent representative of Jeju-si Eul. The Democratic Party's leading candidates include incumbent Kim Han-gyu, former Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Bu Seung-chan, and former Jeju Provincial Assembly chairman Kim Kyung-hak.

In response, the ruling party's candidates include lawyer Bu Sang-il, former Jeju-si Eul party committee chairman Kim Seung-wook, People Power Party Central Training Institute deputy director Kim Hyo, former People's Party party committee chairman Hyun Deok-gyu, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs strategic planning officer Woo Jung-yeop. The ruling party may also recruit new figures to secure election victory.

The complexity of the Jeju-si Eul election dynamics may increase due to the possible candidacy of former lawmaker Kim Woo-nam, who previously represented the constituency. If Kim Woo-nam runs, whether as an independent or by choosing a specific party, it is expected to have a significant impact on the election landscape.