Kim Ki-hyun "April 2 By-election Disastrous Results... Democratic Party's Damyang Defeat Means 'Lee Jae-myung Out'"

On Facebook: "We will take the public's stern warning seriously"
On Joguk Innovation Party's victory: "Declaration of 'Lee Jae-myung Out'"
"There is hope that the People Power Party can regain public support"

Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, stated regarding the results of the April 2 by-elections, "We will take the public's warning seriously."

On the 3rd, Kim said on Facebook, "Our party suffered a crushing defeat."

Kim Ki-hyun, Member of the People Power Party. Photo by Joint Press Corps

He said, "Excluding the Guro District Mayor election, where we did not field a candidate, and the traditionally weak regions of Damyang County in Jeollanam-do, we only secured a win in one place, the Kimcheon Mayor election in Gyeongbuk, resulting in a dismal outcome." He added, "The defeats in the Geoje Mayor election in Gyeongnam and the Asan Mayor election in Chungnam are particularly painful losses, as the previous mayors in both areas were from our party."

However, regarding the Democratic Party losing in its stronghold of Damyang, Jeollanam-do to the Joguk Innovation Party, he pointed out, "This means Lee Jae-myung is not acceptable."

Kim claimed that the Joguk Innovation Party candidate's victory over the Democratic Party candidate in the Damyang County mayoral election, a Democratic stronghold, signified that "even the public sentiment in Honam has declared 'Lee Jae-myung Out'." He added, "This suggests hope that if our party undergoes a thorough transformation, we can regain public support."

Kim emphasized, "I will take the lead in self-reflection and reform with a bone-cutting attitude to win back the hearts of the people."

In the April 2 by-elections held the previous day, among the five local government head positions, the Democratic Party won three, the People Power Party won one, and the Joguk Innovation Party won one. According to the Central Election Management Committee's counting results, in the three areas where People Power Party candidates had won in the 2022 local elections?Seoul's Guro District Mayor, Chungnam's Asan Mayor, and Gyeongnam's Geoje Mayor?candidates from the Democratic Party were elected this time. Notably, in the Damyang County mayoral election in Jeollanam-do, Jung Cheol-won of the Joguk Innovation Party won with 51.82% of the vote, defeating Lee Jae-jong of the Democratic Party, who received 48.17%. This marks the first time the Joguk Innovation Party has secured a local government head position since its founding.