South Korea’s June 3 Local Elections Set: Ruling Party Stresses Stability, Opposition Seeks Referendum

With a month to go until the June 3 local elections, South Korea’s rival parties have finalized nominations for the heads of 16 metropolitan and provincial governments and moved into full campaign mode. The vote is the first nationwide election held a year after the launch of the Lee Jae-myung government. The Democratic Party is pitching a message of “stable governance” and what it calls the removal of “insurrection forces,” while the People Power Party is framing the election as a judgment on the government and a check on its power. 

According to political circles on Saturday, the People Power Party completed its slate a day earlier by confirming Supreme Council member Yang Hyang-ja as its candidate for Gyeonggi governor. Yang competed for the nomination against Ham Jin-gyu, a former lawmaker, and Lee Seong-bae, a former MBC announcer, and won the primary. Yang will face Democratic Party candidate Choo Mi-ae and Reform Party candidate Cho Eung-cheon in the Gyeonggi race.

Seoul, Busan and Daegu are widely seen as the top battlegrounds. In the 2022 local elections, the People Power Party won 12 of 17 top local government posts. This time, with President Lee’s approval rating holding in the 60% range, some observers say the Democratic Party could make gains not only in competitive areas but also in the conservative-leaning Yeongnam region. The People Power Party, for its part, is focused on holding Yeongnam, long considered a conservative stronghold. 

The Democratic Party has sought to refresh its lineup by nominating new figures it says can support the government. The People Power Party re-nominated 11 incumbent local leaders, highlighting administrative experience and policy continuity.

Candidate registration for the June 3 local elections will be held over two days starting May 14. Official campaigning runs from May 21 through June 2, the day before the vote, for 13 days. Early voting will be held May 29-30, with Election Day voting on June 3.