In the Gyeonggi Hanam Gap by-election held on June 3, Lee Kwang-jae of the Democratic Party was elected, securing his return to the National Assembly. In his victory speech, he stated, "I will make Hanam the most livable, healthy, and happy city in South Korea," adding, "I am committed to making it the best city."
According to the National Election Commission on June 4, with 98.59% of the votes counted as of 3 a.m., Lee received 49.89% (43,793 votes), surpassing Lee Yong, the candidate from the People Power Party, who garnered 47.90% (42,042 votes), and Kim Sung-yeol from the Reform Party, who received 2.19% (1,929 votes). This district was previously represented by Choo Mi-ae, the Democratic Party candidate for Gyeonggi governor, necessitating the by-election due to her candidacy.
Lee entered politics as a secretary to the late former President Roh Moo-hyun and was elected governor of Gangwon Province in 2010. However, he lost his governorship due to a political funding scandal. After receiving a special pardon in 2019, he returned to politics in 2020. With this by-election victory, he will serve in the National Assembly for the fourth time, following his previous terms in the 17th, 18th, and 21st National Assembly elections. Notably, Lee is regarded as a key ally of former President Roh and is considered a 'founding member' of the pro-Roh faction.
In his remarks after the election, Lee expressed his commitment to demonstrating tangible results for Hanam's development, stating, "I will become a politician rooted in Hanam, one that the citizens can be proud of."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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