The South Korean center-left governing party celebrated a sweeping victory in local elections but faced a significant defeat in Seoul, losing the mayoral race, considered the most influential elected position after the presidency.
Leading up to the elections, pre-election surveys and exit polls consistently indicated that the candidate from President Lee Jae Myung’s Democratic Party would win against the conservative incumbent in Seoul. The party, which already holds a majority in parliament, intended to use these local elections to strengthen its influence and extend Mr. Lee’s political momentum a year after his presidential win.
“Seoul citizens have once again firmly established the fundamental principle of democracy: checks and balances,” said Oh Se-hoon, re-elected as Seoul’s mayor, on Thursday. “You have kept Seoul as the final safeguard of democracy, ensuring that South Korea does not tilt entirely to one side.” Chong Won-o, the Democratic Party’s candidate, conceded defeat.
By Thursday, with most votes counted, the Democratic Party had secured victories in 12 of the 16 contests for metropolitan mayors and provincial governors. This included winning the governorship of Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, and the mayor’s office in Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, which has traditionally leaned conservative. The People Power Party captured the remaining four positions, including the mayorship of Daegu and two governorships in the southeastern Gyeongsang region, areas of traditional support for the party.
In the previous local elections four years ago, the People Power Party emerged with a majority. However, its position deteriorated after former President Yoon Suk Yeol, the party’s then-leader, declared martial law in late 2024, leading to his removal from office and subsequent life imprisonment on insurrection charges.
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