The April 2 by-elections quietly entered their second day of official campaigning on the 21st. With the political spotlight entirely focused on the Constitutional Court's impeachment ruling, the ruling and opposition parties have been pushed out of the center of attention.
According to the Central Election Commission on the day, the April 2 by-elections will be held in 23 locations, including one superintendent of education (Busan), five heads of basic local governments, eight metropolitan council members, and nine basic council members. The official campaign period runs until the 1st of next month.
This by-election is the first nationwide election held amid the martial law and impeachment political crisis. Although it has received less attention due to being overshadowed by President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment trial, it is regarded as an opportunity to gauge public sentiment in advance if an early presidential election becomes certain.
However, with the Constitutional Court's ruling on President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment trial delayed beyond expectations, there is a sentiment that it is difficult for both ruling and opposition parties to conduct large-scale election campaigns at the leadership level.
The Democratic Party of Korea, which has candidates in all five basic local government elections (Seoul Guro-gu, Asan-si in Chungnam, Damyang-gun in Jeonnam, Gimcheon-si in Gyeongbuk, and Geoje-si in Gyeongnam), has yet to finalize its leadership campaign schedule.
This is interpreted as a lack of capacity to handle by-election-related schedules while closely monitoring the impeachment trial results of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and the schedule for President Yoon's impeachment ruling.
Meanwhile, the People Power Party, which has candidates in three of the five basic local government elections excluding Seoul Guro and Jeonnam Damyang, has finalized leadership-level campaign schedules only for Asan in Chungnam, which is expected to be a fierce battleground between the ruling and opposition parties. On the 23rd of this month, Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong will campaign, followed by Emergency Committee Chairman Kwon Young-se on the 26th.
The Party for National Innovation is focusing on the Seoul Guro-gu mayoral by-election, which can gauge public sentiment in the metropolitan area. On the 20th, Kim Seon-min, acting leader of the Party for National Innovation, held the party's supreme council meeting at the campaign office of candidate Seo Sang-beom for the Seoul Guro-gu mayoral by-election. The Seoul Guro-gu mayoral by-election became a contest among four opposition candidates after the People Power Party, responsible for the election cause, decided not to field a candidate. Candidates include Democratic Party's Jang In-hong, Party for National Innovation's Seo Sang-beom, Progressive Party's Choi Jae-hee, and Liberty Unification Party's Lee Kang-san.
On the same day, Hwang Un-ha, floor leader of the Party for National Innovation, attended the election kickoff rally held in front of the main gate of Chungnam National University in Daejeon to support candidate Moon Soo-yeon, who is running for Daejeon city council.
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