Jung Cheong-rae Delays Local Election Briefing as Seoul Mayor Race Tightens

Jung Cheong-rae, head of the Democratic Party's central election campaign committee, speaks during a meeting at the campaign office of Park Soo-hyun, the party's candidate for governor of South Chungcheong, in Cheonan on June 1. Photo: Yonhap News — Jung Cheong-rae, head of the Democratic Party's central election campaign committee, speaks during a meeting at the campaign office of Park Soo-hyun, the party's candidate for governor of South Chungcheong, in Cheonan on June 1. [Photo: Yonhap News]

Jung Cheong-rae, the head of the Democratic Party's central election campaign committee, postponed a briefing scheduled for 7 a.m. on June 4 regarding the local election results. This delay is believed to be due to the close race for the Seoul mayoral election, where results have yet to be finalized.

In a statement to the media, the Democratic Party announced, "We will inform you of the new briefing schedule as soon as it is set." While the party has achieved a significant victory in the elections, the Seoul mayoral race is proving to be highly competitive.

Exit polls released the previous afternoon by three major broadcasters and JTBC indicated that Jung Won-oh, the Democratic candidate, was leading. However, as of 7:12 a.m. on June 4, the margin was only 4,059 votes. The counting in the Songpa district, where issues of poor vote management by the Election Commission have arisen, has been slower than in other areas, gradually narrowing the gap.

Jung is expected to make a statement at his campaign office at 7:30 a.m. Meanwhile, Oh Se-hoon, the opposing candidate, successfully took the lead at around 7:17 a.m. The Seoul mayoral election is anticipated to be decided by a narrow margin, and the fallout from the Election Commission's vote management issues is likely to grow.

* This article has been translated by AI.

LEE KEONHEE