Democratic Party’s Seoul Defeat Overshadows Local Election Wins

The governing center-left party of South Korea celebrated a significant victory in local elections on Wednesday. However, the loss of the mayoral race in Seoul overshadowed their success. This position is deemed the most powerful elected office after the presidency.

Pre-election surveys and exit polls had predicted a win for President Lee Jae Myung’s Democratic Party candidate against the conservative incumbent in Seoul. The Democratic Party, which already holds a parliamentary majority, aimed to strengthen its influence and boost President 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 mayor of Seoul. You have kept Seoul as the final safeguard of democracy, ensuring that South Korea does not tilt entirely to one side.

His opponent, Democratic Party candidate Chong Won-o, admitted defeat.

As votes were nearly fully counted on Thursday, the Democratic Party secured 12 of the 16 contests for metropolitan mayors and provincial governors. These victories included control of Gyeonggi Province, the populous region around Seoul, and the mayor’s office in Busan. Busan is South Korea’s second-largest city and a traditional conservative bastion. The People Power Party captured four remaining contests, including Daegu’s mayoral race and two provincial governorships in the southeastern Gyeongsang region, its long-standing stronghold.

Four years ago, the People Power Party dominated most local election races. Their standing drastically fell after then-leader, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, declared martial law in late 2024. He was removed from office and sentenced to life imprisonment on insurrection charges.