Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, expressed gratitude to voters for their support in the June 3 local elections and by-elections, despite acknowledging disappointment over failing to reclaim Seoul.
In a press conference held on June 4 at the National Assembly, Jeong stated, "I appreciate the citizens for extinguishing the embers of insurrection and for electing capable local leaders who will work closely with the Lee Jae-myung administration." He emphasized that the Democratic Party will actively support the Lee Jae-myung government and local administrations to achieve national normalization and foster genuine local-led growth.
Jeong also noted, "Just as the people are the owners of the country, the party members are the owners of the party. We will open a new era of party sovereignty that aligns with the age of popular sovereignty. With this election victory, we will adopt a humble attitude to address our shortcomings and refine our strengths."
The Democratic Party secured 12 out of 16 regional governor positions in this election. In the four areas where they lost, three were closely contested. Notably, Jeong Won-oh, the Democratic Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, maintained a lead until he was overtaken by Oh Se-hoon, the opposing candidate, after 13 hours of vote counting. In the by-elections, the party retained 9 out of 14 contested districts.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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