Local Elections Show Mixed Results for South Korea's Major Parties

By MOONKI CHANG Posted : June 6, 2026, 09:03 Updated : June 6, 2026, 09:03
Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae speaks at a party meeting ahead of a National Assembly session on June 5. [Photo: Yonhap News]
The results of the June 3 local elections indicate that while the ruling Democratic Party of Korea won a majority, many of the so-called "My Pick" candidates, favored by President Lee Jae-myung, were defeated. The party secured 12 out of 16 metropolitan mayoral positions and 17 out of 25 district mayors in Seoul, but failed to reclaim the capital, leading to assessments of a hollow victory.
Political analysts suggest that public sentiment has delivered a reprimand to both major parties in these local and National Assembly by-elections. Voters expressed discontent with the dominant ruling party and the opposition's inability to distance itself from former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
A significant blow for the Democratic Party was the defeat of candidate Jeong Won-oh in Seoul. Pre-election polls and exit surveys indicated he was leading against People Power Party's Oh Se-hoon. Oh, the incumbent mayor, even stated he would campaign with the determination of a challenger.
However, when the votes were counted, Oh emerged victorious. Analyzing the overall election results in Seoul, it is difficult to conclude that public sentiment has shifted entirely toward conservatism. Compared to four years ago, the number of districts won by the Democratic Party increased from eight to 17, and they secured 80 out of 118 seats in the city council. This suggests a pattern of cross-voting, where the mayoral position went to the People Power Party while district mayors and council members were elected from the Democratic Party, indicating a desire to check the power of the Lee Jae-myung administration and the ruling party.
In a similar vein, the defeat of candidate Ha Jung-woo in the Busan North Gap by-election was notable. Although the People Power Party won the mayoral race in Busan, they lost their only parliamentary seat in the region. This reflects a sentiment among voters to rein in the dominant ruling party, as evidenced by the losses of favored candidates.  
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk visits the Seoul Election Commission to express concerns over the election results on June 5. [Photo: Yonhap News]
The outcomes in the Seoul mayoral and Busan North Gap elections present a challenging scenario for the People Power Party's leadership under Jang Dong-hyuk. Oh Se-hoon, who won the mayoral race, distanced himself from Jang during the campaign. Some party members are already calling for accountability from Jang regarding the election results in Seoul and Busan.
In Busan North Gap, independent candidate Han Dong-hoon defeated the People Power Party's Park Min-sik, overcoming a situation where conservative votes were split. Han's entry into the National Assembly is expected to intensify competition for leadership within the party. Political observers believe that the upcoming floor leader election scheduled for June 9 will serve as a precursor to this internal rivalry.



* This article has been translated by AI.
MOONKI CHANG

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