Democratic Party Wins 3 Local Government Head Races, People Power Party 1, Innovation Party 1
Progressive Candidate Elected as Busan Superintendent of Education...
Innovation Party Secures Its First Local Government Head
In the April 2 by-elections held two days before the Constitutional Court's ruling on President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment trial, opposition candidates won by a large margin. In the Chungcheong region, known as a barometer of public sentiment, the Democratic Party candidate defeated the People Power Party candidate by a significant vote difference, and the People Power Party lost Geoje in the Busan-Gyeongnam (PK) stronghold to the Democratic Party. This is seen as a clear reflection of public opinion turning against the Yoon administration amid the impeachment turmoil.
On the 2nd, voters are participating in the 'April 2 By-election for Geoje Mayor' at the Jangpyeong-dong No. 1 polling station set up in the Samsung Culture Center in Geoje-si, Gyeongnam. Photo by Yonhap News
According to the Central Election Commission on the 3rd, in the Busan Metropolitan City Superintendent of Education re-election, Democratic Party candidate Kim Seok-jun (51.13% of the vote) won by a large margin over Jeong Seung-yoon (40.19%), who is considered pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol). The vote difference was about 11 percentage points. Jeong was a member of President Yoon's presidential campaign and served as the vice chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission under the Yoon administration. He is also an opponent of the impeachment who supported protests against the impeachment of President Yoon.
In Gyeongnam, known as a conservative stronghold, Democratic Party candidate Byeon Gwang-yong won the Geoje mayoral re-election with 56.75% of the vote, defeating People Power Party candidate Park Hwan-gi (38.12%) by a large margin.
In the Chungcheong region, often regarded as a gauge of public sentiment during various elections, the Democratic Party candidate was also elected. In the Asan mayoral re-election in Chungnam, Democratic Party candidate Oh Se-hyun won with 57.5% of the vote, defeating People Power Party candidate Jeon Man-gwon, who received 39.9%. Asan elected a People Power Party candidate in the 2022 local elections but was swept by the Democratic Party in both Asan Gap (Bok Gi-wang) and Eul (Kang Hoon-sik) districts in last year's general election.
The People Power Party won only one out of five local government head re-elections, in Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk. People Power Party candidate Bae Nak-ho won with 51.86% of the vote, defeating independent candidate Lee Chang-jae (26.98%) and Democratic Party candidate Hwang Tae-sung (17.46%). Gimcheon is considered a conservative stronghold where People Power Party candidates won with high vote shares in the 2022 local elections and last year's April 10 general election.
The Innovation Party produced its first local government head since its founding by winning the Damyang County mayoral re-election in Jeonnam, defeating the Democratic Party. Innovation Party candidate Jeong Cheol-won won 51.82% of the vote, beating Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-jong (48.17%) to become Damyang County mayor. For the Democratic Party, this was a blow in their stronghold, as party leader Lee Jae-myung was the only one to campaign in this election on the 22nd of last month.
Among the eight metropolitan council by-elections, the People Power Party won four (Daegu Dalseo, Incheon Ganghwa, Chungnam Dangjin, Gyeongnam Changwon Masanhwawon), and the Democratic Party won three (Daejeon Yuseong, Gyeonggi Seongnam Bundang, Gyeonggi Gunpo). In Gyeongbuk Seongju, an independent candidate ran unopposed and was elected without a vote.
Among the nine basic council by-elections, the Democratic Party won six (Seoul Jungnang, Mapo, Dongjak; Jeonnam Gwangyang, Damyang; Gyeongnam Yangsan), the People Power Party won two (Gyeongbuk Goryeong, Incheon Ganghwa), and an independent candidate was elected in Jeonnam Goheung.
This by-election was relatively small in scale, with no parliamentary or metropolitan government head elections. Moreover, due to the impeachment turmoil surrounding President Yoon and major incidents such as large wildfires in the Yeongnam region, both ruling and opposition parties did not actively campaign. The final voter turnout was 26.27%. Out of 4,620,908 eligible voters, 1,213,772 cast their ballots.
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