Jin Gyohoon "I Will Work Without Personal Interest"
Kim Taewoo "Sorry for Not Meeting Your Support"
The by-election for the Mayor of Gangseo District in Seoul, which was expected to serve as a barometer of public sentiment in the metropolitan area during the 22nd general election, ended in a landslide victory for the opposition party.
In this election, where the judgment of the current administration and the previous administration clashed, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) outpaced the People Power Party (PPP) by more than 20 percentage points. The PPP now faces a 'crisis theory' in the metropolitan area elections that could determine the outcome of next year's general election, making a major strategic overhaul inevitable.
Jin Gyo-hoon, the Democratic Party candidate elected as Gangseo District Mayor in the by-election, along with Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader, and Jeong Cheong-rae, the Supreme Council member, are raising their hands in greeting at the Gangseo District campaign office in Seoul on the afternoon of the 11th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
According to the National Election Commission, as of 12:02 a.m. on the 12th, with 73.39% of the votes counted in the Gangseo District mayoral by-election, DPK candidate Jin Gyo-hoon secured 59.13% of the votes, leading PPP candidate Kim Tae-woo, who received 36.91%, by a double-digit margin.
Jin Gyo-hoon, whose victory is considered certain, expressed in a statement, "I sincerely thank you for choosing me for the new future and development of Gangseo."
Jin said, "As soon as my election is confirmed, I will spare no time to fill the administrative gap and normalize the Gangseo district administration," adding, "I will be a humble mayor who serves the residents and a true worker who works at the people's level."
On the day, Democratic Party floor leader Hong Ik-pyo, along with senior party members Jeong Cheong-rae and Seo Young-kyo, stayed until the end to celebrate Jin's victory. Chief spokesperson Kwon Chil-seung said in a written briefing, "The result of the Gangseo District mayoral by-election was a stern rebuke from the people to the Yoon Seok-yeol administration," adding, "Today’s result is not a victory for the Democratic Party but a victory for the people and a judgment on the collapse of people’s livelihoods."
DPK leader Lee Jae-myung also wrote on Facebook as Jin Gyo-hoon’s victory became certain, "A great victory for the people and a severe judgment on the failure of state affairs." In a post titled 'We will humbly heed the public sentiment,' Lee said, "I do not consider this a victory for the Democratic Party. It is a harsh warning from the people demanding political awakening and recovery of livelihoods," adding, "Reflecting once again on the Democratic Party’s complacency, lack of fierceness, and ongoing shortcomings when it was once the ruling party, I pledge anew to devote all efforts to restoring livelihoods, economy, safety, peace, and democracy as a public servant of the people."
Kim Tae-woo, the People Power Party candidate for Gangseo District Mayor, is greeting after acknowledging his defeat at the Gangseo District campaign office in Seoul on the 11th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Meanwhile, at the same time, PPP candidate Kim Tae-woo, facing a bleak outlook, shook hands with supporters one by one before leaving the office with a heavy expression.
Kim issued a statement saying, "I apologize for not being able to repay the support of those who backed me," and accepted the election result in which he was defeated by DPK candidate Jin Gyo-hoon. He expressed gratitude to his campaign team for their efforts despite difficult circumstances and thanked the PPP members who came from across the country. He pledged to humbly accept the will of the Gangseo residents and approach his duties with a modest attitude, while congratulating Jin and asking him to take good care of the people’s livelihoods for the development of Gangseo.
The final voter turnout for the Seoul Gangseo District mayoral by-election was tentatively recorded at 48.7%. According to the National Election Commission, out of 500,603 eligible voters in Gangseo District, 243,665 cast their ballots. Early voting participation reached 22.64%, setting a record high for early voting in by-elections and re-elections. However, despite the high early voting rate, the turnout on the actual election day was low, resulting in a final turnout below 50%. Previously, the voter turnout in Gangseo during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election was 56.4%, and it was 51.7% during last year’s local elections.
Although lower than the turnout in the Seoul mayoral by-election and local elections, the turnout was higher than initially expected by the political circles. The political community had anticipated the turnout for the Gangseo District mayoral by-election to be around 45%. Generally, higher turnout is considered advantageous to the opposition party, and in this election, the unexpectedly high turnout increasingly favored the Democratic Party’s victory.
With the Democratic Party winning by an overwhelming margin in this election, a backlash is inevitable for the ruling People Power Party. Within the PPP, there is likely to be a leadership accountability debate over nominating a candidate despite causing the by-election and selecting Kim Tae-woo as the final candidate after a primary. The PPP issued a statement saying, "We will solemnly respect the serious choice of the Gangseo residents," and bowed their heads, adding, "We will take the sharp rebuke sent to the People Power Party seriously, swiftly implement reform tasks, and create a new Republic of Korea that meets the people's expectations."
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