Ruling and Opposition Parties Already in Local Election Mode... People Power Party Appoints Na Kyungwon as General Planning Chief for a Decisive Push

Democratic Party Builds Momentum with Regional Supreme Council Meetings
Gaining Early Advantage by Engaging Public Sentiment Ahead of Chuseok
People Power Party Launches General Planning Committee... "Victory Is a Must"

With the 9th nationwide local elections scheduled for June 3 next year, both the ruling and opposition parties have begun ramping up their election campaigns. The Democratic Party of Korea is continuing its momentum through regional on-site Supreme Council meetings, while the People Power Party has taken a firm stance by appointing five-term lawmaker Na Kyungwon as the head of its Local Election General Planning Committee. The early intensification of the local election atmosphere, with nine months still to go, is largely due to the upcoming Chuseok holiday, which has a significant impact on public opinion trends. Both parties are aiming to sway public sentiment in their favor and gain an early advantage in the local election race.

People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyungwon protests against Independent lawmaker Choi Hyukjin's remarks at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee plenary session held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 16th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The Democratic Party of Korea has expressed its determination to secure all regions except for Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province (TK). In contrast, the People Power Party has declared its intention to defend key battlegrounds such as Seoul and Busan. On September 18, the People Power Party launched its Local Election General Planning Committee, embarking on full-scale organizational restructuring and strategy development. Na Kyungwon, a five-term lawmaker, was appointed as the committee chair. Additionally, Jeong Jeomsik was selected as the chair of the "Elected Officials Performance Evaluation Innovation Task Force," which will establish candidate selection criteria for the local elections, while Jeong Heeyong was appointed as the chair of the Special Committee for Organizational Reinforcement, which will oversee the reorganization of local party structures.

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, who formed the General Planning Committee, plans to continue his nationwide outreach, following the on-site Supreme Council meeting in Busan on September 15, with an outdoor rally at Dongdaegu Station on September 21 and another on-site Supreme Council meeting in Daejeon next week. Busan and Daegu are considered conservative strongholds, while Daejeon and the Chungcheong region are seen as barometers of public sentiment. The mayors of Busan, Daegu, and Daejeon, as well as the governors of South and North Chungcheong, are all members of the People Power Party, underscoring the party’s strong determination to defend these areas.

Meanwhile, Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, has also begun consolidating support in traditional strongholds, holding a series of meetings: the Jeonju Honam Development Special Committee on September 16, the Jeju on-site Supreme Council meeting and Budget Policy Consultation the previous day, and the Gwangju Budget Policy Consultation on the day of publication. He is also reportedly planning to visit key battlegrounds such as Busan soon. President Lee Jaemyung’s recent local activities, including a town hall meeting in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, and a Cabinet meeting in Sejong, could also provide a boost to the ruling party.

On the morning of the 17th, Jeong Cheongrae and his delegation, visiting Jeju Provincial Office for the "2025 Democratic Party of Korea-Jeju Province Budget Policy Consultation," greet the civil servants filling the lobby. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

With the advantage of an incumbent president, the Democratic Party of Korea is highlighting policies such as revitalizing local finance, expanding the rural "Sunlight Pension," and relocating the presidential office to Sejong. In contrast, the People Power Party plans to emphasize the incompetence of the government and the ruling party by criticizing their ongoing judicial and prosecutorial reforms, as well as their handling of the Korea-US tariff negotiations and the detention of Korean workers in the state of Georgia, USA.

Seoul and Busan, considered the most fiercely contested battlegrounds, are already seeing intense behind-the-scenes maneuvering. In Seoul, People Power Party Mayor Oh Sehoon is widely expected to seek a fifth term, while the Democratic Party of Korea is focusing on finding new candidates, with names such as Prime Minister Kim Minseok and Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hunsik being mentioned. In Busan, Jeon Jaesoo, the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries from the Democratic Party of Korea, is seen as a likely candidate, while the People Power Party is considering current Mayor Park Hyungjoon and other local lawmakers as potential candidates. Within the opposition, there are also calls for a broad conservative alliance-including Lee Junseok and Yoo Seungmin-given the unfavorable circumstances of a recent presidential election defeat and special prosecutor investigations ahead of the local elections.