Only 10 out of 21 Candidates Formerly from the Presidential Office Staff and Ministers Elected

7 Survivors Including Im Jong-deuk, Kang Seung-gyu, and Kim Eun-hye from the Presidential Office
Only 3 of 7 Former Ministers Elected

Among the 21 candidates who challenged the 22nd National Assembly general election (April 10 general election) from the Presidential Office staff (14 members) and former ministers (7 members), a total of 10 were elected. This is below half, and while candidates who ran in regions known as conservative strongholds survived, many lost in the metropolitan area and difficult districts. It is analyzed that the public's support for the regime judgment theory in this general election also influenced the election outcomes of candidates from the Presidential Office staff and former ministers.

According to the Central Election Commission on the 11th, 7 candidates from the Presidential Office staff and 3 former ministers survived in the April 10 general election.

As of 4:59 a.m. on the day, the vote count shows that Im Jong-deuk, former Deputy Director of the National Security Office, who was the sole candidate nominated in Yeongju·Yeongyang·Bonghwa, Gyeongbuk, won with 73.71%, defeating Park Gyu-hwan of the Democratic Party (26.28%) by a margin of 47.5 percentage points.

Kang Seung-gyu, former Senior Secretary for Civil Society, who ran in Yesan, Chungnam, known as the TK of Chungcheong, secured 54.84%, defeating Yang Seung-jo of the Democratic Party (45.15%).

Kim Eun-hye, former Senior Secretary for Public Relations, who ran in Seongnam Bundang, Gyeonggi, was trailing Kim Byung-wook, the incumbent Democratic Party candidate, in the exit polls released by the three major terrestrial broadcasters the previous evening, but the vote count showed she secured 52.52%, surpassing Kim Byung-wook's 47.47% and winning the election.

Kang Myung-gu, former Secretary for National Policy Planning, who ran in Gumi-eul, Gyeongbuk, and Joo Jin-woo, former Legal Secretary, who was the sole candidate nominated in Haeundae Gap, Busan, also won with over half the votes, 66.29% and 53.70% respectively.

Park Sung-hoon, former Secretary for National Policy Planning, who ran in Buk-gu-eul, Busan, won with 52.56% against Jeong Myung-hee, Democratic Party candidate and former Buk-gu mayor, who received 47.43%, successfully entering the National Assembly.

In Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, Jo Ji-yeon, former Presidential Office administrator, narrowly defeated independent candidate Choi Kyung-hwan, who was seeking a fifth term, with 43.43% to 42.27%.

On the 16th, one day before President Yoon Suk-yeol's 100th day in office, the Presidential Office building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul is shown. President Yoon, emphasizing the elimination of authoritarianism, moved the seat of government from the former Blue House to Yongsan. With the president's office relocated to Yongsan, the Blue House has been fully opened to the public. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Among the former minister candidates, Choo Kyung-ho, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, won decisively in Dalseong-gun, Daegu, with 75.31%, defeating Park Hyung-ryong of the Democratic Party (24.68%).

Seoul Yongsan-gu, classified as a close contest during the campaign period, was won by Kwon Young-se, former Minister of Unification, who secured 51.77%, defeating Kang Tae-woong of the Democratic Party, who received 47.02%. Jo Seung-hwan, former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, also entered the National Assembly by winning 54.82% against Park Young-mi of the Democratic Party (43.54%) in Jung-gu Yeongdo-gu, Busan.

On the other hand, candidates who ran in the metropolitan area or difficult districts could not escape the regime judgment theory and suffered bitter defeats. Jang Sung-min, former Future Strategy Planning Officer (Ansan Gap, Gyeonggi), lost to Yang Moon-seok of the Democratic Party, who was under attack from the ruling party over illegal loan allegations. Jeon Hee-kyung, former Political Secretary 1 (Uijeongbu Gap, Gyeonggi), also lost to Park Ji-hye of the Democratic Party.

Lee Won-mo, former Personnel Secretary, known as the youngest member of the Yoon Seok-yeol faction since his prosecution days, lost by a large margin to Lee Sang-sik of the Democratic Party in Yongin Gap, Gyeonggi. Seo Seung-woo, former Secretary for Local Administration, suffered defeat to Lee Kang-il of the Democratic Party in Cheongju Sangdang, Chungbuk.

Kim Ki-heung, former Deputy Spokesperson (Yeonsu-eul, Incheon), also lost to Jeong Il-young of the Democratic Party, and Shin Jae-kyung, former Senior Administrator who ran in Namdong-eul, Incheon, was defeated. Lee Seung-hwan, former administrator (Jungnang-eul, Seoul), could not defeat Park Hong-geun of the Democratic Party.

In Incheon Gyeyang-eul, which attracted attention as the "Myungryong Grand Battle" in this general election, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong was decisively defeated by Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party.

Park Jin, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, who ran in Seodaemun-eul instead of his own district Gangnam-eul, Seoul, lost to Kim Young-ho of the Democratic Party and was defeated. Park Min-sik, former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (Gangseo-eul, Seoul), was defeated by Jin Sung-jun of the Democratic Party. Moon Bang-kyu, former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (Suwon-byeong, Gyeonggi), also lost to Kim Young-jin of the Democratic Party.