[June 3 Local Elections] <17> Woo Sang-ho and Lee Kwang-jae Challenge Kim Jin-tae’s Bid for Re-election in Gangwon

Ruling Party Candidates Lead Kim Jin-tae in Head-to-Head Polls
Opposition’s Yeom Dong-yeol Weighs Potential Run

In the upcoming 9th nationwide local elections scheduled for June 3, 2026, the race for Governor of Gangwon Province is shaping up as a contest with incumbent Governor Kim Jin-tae facing challenges from Woo Sang-ho, former Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, and Lee Kwang-jae, former Gangwon Governor.

Characteristics of the Gangwon Governor Election

Gangwon Province is traditionally a stronghold for conservative parties. In the 21st presidential election, the People Power Party candidate led in all areas of Gangwon except for Chuncheon and Wonju. Similarly, in the 22nd general election, the Democratic Party secured only 2 out of 8 seats in Gangwon (Chuncheon·Cheorwon·Hwacheon·Yanggu, Wonju-eul). However, the Democratic Party has also demonstrated significant competitiveness in the Gangwon governor race. In the 5th local elections in 2010, Democratic Party candidate Lee Kwang-jae won. Subsequently, in a by-election, Democratic Party candidate Choi Moon-soon was elected, achieving three consecutive terms through the 6th (2014) and 7th (2018) local elections. However, with Kim Jin-tae's victory in the 8th local election in 2022, the People Power Party reclaimed the governorship. In Gangwon, voting trends in the populous cities of Chuncheon and Wonju, as well as localism based on candidates’ regions of origin, are key variables influencing the outcome.

Who Are the Potential Candidates?

Within the Democratic Party, former Senior Secretary Woo and former Governor Lee are considered the leading candidates. Woo Sang-ho has effectively completed preparations for his candidacy after leaving the presidential office. Lee Kwang-jae has also stated, "I will make a final decision on running before the Lunar New Year holiday." For the People Power Party, while Kim Jin-tae is expected to seek re-election, former lawmaker Yeom Dong-yeol is also contemplating a run.

What Do the Polls Show?

According to a G1 Gangwon MBC-Realmeter poll, Governor Kim Jin-tae leads with 35.7%, followed by Lee Kwang-jae at 27.7%, and Woo Sang-ho at 22.7%. In head-to-head matchups, however, Kim Jin-tae trails both opposition candidates. An OhmyNews-Realmeter hypothetical two-way race poll showed Lee Kwang-jae (48.6%) ahead of Kim Jin-tae (37.4%) by 11.2 percentage points. In the matchup between Woo Sang-ho (47.1%) and Kim Jin-tae (36.8%), Woo led by 10.3 percentage points.

◆ Poll Details

- Realmeter. Commissioned by G1 Gangwon MBC, surveyed 2,509 Gangwon residents aged 18 or older on January 1-2. 100% wireless phone virtual numbers. Margin of error ±2.0 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

- Realmeter. Commissioned by OhmyNews, surveyed 800 Gangwon residents aged 18 or older on January 9-10. 100% wireless ARS. Margin of error ±3.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. For more details, refer to the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.