Interim Report Card for the April 10 General Election Including Former Seoul Deputy Mayor?

Seoul Former Vice Mayor Yoon Jun-byeong Wins Primary in Hometown Jeongeup·Gochang for Reelection... Former Vice Mayor Kang Tae-woong Advances to General Election after Winning Yongsan Primary... Former Gwanak District Mayor Yoo Jong-pil Receives Uncontested Nomination in Gwanak-gap... Former Eunpyeong District Mayor Kim Woo-young and Former Yeongdeungpo District Mayor Chae Hyun-il Also Nominated for General Election

With the April 10 general election just 26 days away, the lineup of candidates from both ruling and opposition parties is taking shape.

In particular, there is considerable interest in the mid-term performance of high-ranking officials such as Seoul City Deputy Mayors and district mayors who are running for the election.

So far, among former Seoul City Deputy Mayors confirmed as candidates, Yoon Joon-byeong, former Administrative Deputy Mayor 1 of the Democratic Party from Jeongeup City and Gochang County in Jeonbuk, is challenging for re-election.

Former Deputy Mayor Yoon defeated former lawmaker Yoo Seong-yeop, who has a strong local base as a former Jeongeup mayor and three-term National Assembly member, in the primary, moving closer to re-election.

Also, former Administrative Deputy Mayor 1 Kang Tae-woong won the primary against Seong Jang-hyun, a local political heavyweight and four-term Yongsan District Mayor with 40 years of political experience in Yongsan.

The fact that they held the title of local committee chair seems to have worked to their advantage in the primaries.

On the other hand, former Administrative Deputy Mayor 1 Kim Ui-seung ran in the preliminary election for the People Power Party in his hometown constituencies of Andong and Yecheon but was defeated by incumbent lawmaker Kim Hyung-dong.

Kim’s short period spent in the region appears to have prevented him from overcoming the incumbent’s advantage.

Among former district mayors, Yoo Jong-pil, a former two-term Gwanak District Mayor, received a single nomination as the People Power Party candidate for Gwanak Gap and is challenging for a seat in the National Assembly.

During his tenure, Yoo is known to have elevated Gwanak District’s image, gaining many local supporters who are hopeful for the general election.

Alongside him, former two-term Eunpyeong District Mayor Kim Woo-young and former Yeongdeungpo District Mayor Chae Hyun-il from the Democratic Party also secured nominations after some difficulties and are running for a seat in the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, among Seoul district mayors, former Nowon District Mayor Kim Sung-hwan is already aiming for a third term, while former Seocho District Mayor Cho Eun-hee, former Seongbuk District Mayor Kim Young-bae, and former Gangdong District Mayor Lee Hae-sik are also seeking re-election.

Until now, it has been difficult for former Seoul City Deputy Mayors and district mayors to enter politics, but in recent years, more former Deputy Mayors and district mayors from Seoul have been entering the National Assembly, and it is expected that even more candidates will emerge in the future.

A Seoul city official predicted, “Former Administrative Deputy Mayor 1 Ryu Kyung-gi is running for re-election as Jungnang District Mayor, having solidified his local base, and it is expected that the number of former Deputy Mayors and district mayors becoming National Assembly members will gradually increase.”