Early Voting Day 2, Progressive Unification Achieved
"Will Achieve a Major Transformation in Seoul Education Innovation"
Choi Boseon at 8% in Recent Polls
Jeong Geunsik, Jo Jeonhyeok, Yoon Hosang in a Three-Way Race
Progressive candidates for Seoul Superintendent of Education, Jeong Geun-sik and Choi Bo-seon, have unified their candidacies four days before the election. This narrows the number of candidates running for Seoul Superintendent of Education to three. With the last-minute unification in the progressive camp, attention is focused on whether the remaining votes will consolidate.
On the 12th, Candidate Choi held a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education with Candidate Jeong, stating, "Candidate Jeong Geun-sik is the right person to take responsibility for Seoul education," and announced his withdrawal and intention to unify.
Previously, progressive-leaning Candidate Choi did not participate in the primary promoted by the progressive unification organization, but after running alone, he said at a press conference, "Since Candidate Jeong is a fellow democratic progressive candidate, we can communicate well," and "If we compare pledges and find common ground, I am willing to unify," leaving the door open for unification.
At the press conference that day, both candidates emphasized, "We must not entrust Seoul education to candidates like Jo Jeon-hyeok, who believe in exam-competition omnipotence," and "Candidate Jeong shares such values and will do his best for a great transformation in Seoul education innovation."
Interest is focused on whether Candidate Choi's withdrawal will affect the election outcome. This is because recent media polls showed a neck-and-neck race between Candidate Jeong and Candidate Jo. According to a poll conducted by Every Research on the 6th and 7th among 1,000 men and women aged 18 or older residing in Seoul, jointly commissioned by NewsPirit and EveryNews, in a hypothetical match-up for Seoul Superintendent of Education, Candidate Jeong received 31.1%, Candidate Jo 30.2%, Candidate Choi 8.3%, and Candidate Yoon 5.5%. (Wireless ARS automated response, margin of error ±3.1 percentage points at 95% confidence level, response rate 4.4%, referenced from the Central Election Commission website)
If this level of support is maintained in the actual voting and votes consolidate, Candidate Jeong can comfortably exceed the 30% support rate. However, there is also a possibility of invalid votes occurring as early voting for the October 16 by-election had already started the day before. The voter turnout in Seoul the previous day was 3.16%, which is not high compared to other regions.
With Candidate Choi's withdrawal, the remaining election will be a three-way race among Candidate Jeong and conservative candidates Jo Jeon-hyeok and Yoon Ho-sang. Candidate Yoon, who is running independently, previously made it clear that he has no intention of unifying, stating, "I will run to the end without unification with the 'figurehead presidents.'"
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