[6.3 Local Elections]⑨ Chungbuk Engulfed by 'Marginalization'... 'Special Autonomous Province' as a Game Changer

Song Kiseop and Noh Youngmin for the Democratic Party
Kim Younghwan seeks re-election for the People Power Party

The issue of "marginalization" is emerging as a key variable in the Chungbuk gubernatorial race for the 9th nationwide local elections scheduled for June 3. There is a sense of crisis that Chungbuk Province could become isolated if Daejeon and Chungnam unite and Sejong pursues its own path as a special autonomous city. On January 14, Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, left open the possibility of designating Chungbuk as a special autonomous province, stating, "Let's come up with concrete measures."

◇Characteristics of Chungbuk Region = Chungbuk is the only province in the country that is entirely landlocked and does not border the sea. In every past election, it has served as a barometer of national public sentiment. If elevated to a special autonomous province, Chungbuk would gain significant administrative and regulatory authority transferred from the central government, allowing it to independently decide and implement policies.

◇Past Chungbuk Gubernatorial Elections = In both the 2002 and 2006 local elections, Jeong Wootak of the Grand National Party was elected governor. Subsequently, Lee Sijong, who ran as a candidate for the Democratic Party and its affiliated parties, served three consecutive terms in 2010, 2014, and 2018. In 2022, Kim Younghwan won the election, returning the governorship to the People Power Party.

◇Potential Candidates = For the Democratic Party, Song Kiseop, mayor of Jincheon County, has officially announced his candidacy. Other potential candidates include Noh Youngmin, former Presidential Chief of Staff; Shin Yonghan, Vice Chairman of the Presidential Committee for Balanced National Development; Lim Hoseon, National Assembly member; and Han Beomdeok, former mayor of Cheongju.

For the People Power Party, Governor Kim Younghwan is seeking re-election, but legal risks remain a burden. Yoon Heekeun, former Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, has also officially declared his candidacy. Jo Gilhyeong, mayor of Chungju, and Yoon Gapgeun, former provincial party chairman, have also expressed their intentions to run. However, since the nomination rules for both parties have not yet been finalized, the lineup of candidates is expected to become clearer around the Lunar New Year holiday.

◇Recent Poll Trends = Since the election structure for the Chungbuk governorship has not yet been established, there have not been many related opinion polls. However, trends can be observed based on the public sentiment in Cheongju, the political center of Chungbuk. According to a poll released last month by JoWonCNI at the request of Straight News, party support among Cheongju residents was 47.4% for the Democratic Party and 35.4% for the People Power Party. Regarding the local election, 47.7% of respondents said "the ruling party should be supported to help the administration," while 40.7% said "the opposition should be supported to keep the administration in check."

<Opinion Poll Details>

- JoWonCNI (December 13-14 of last year; 503 men and women aged 18 or older residing in Cheongju, Chungbuk; margin of error ±4.4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level). Refer to the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.