Will Song Younggil, Lee Kwangjae, Jo Guk, and Han Donghoon Survive? Overview of Candidates in 14 'Mini General Election' Districts

14 Districts Up for Grabs in June 3 By-elections, With High-profile Candidates in the Race

If Song Young-gil, Jo Guk, or Han Dong-hoon Win, Political Landscape Could Shift Dramatically

Attention Also on Whether Former Chief of Staff Jung Jin

The June 3 by-elections for members of the National Assembly are being dubbed a "mini general election." There are 14 seats at stake. Of these, 13 are districts currently held by Democratic Party lawmakers, with the exception of Dalseong in Daegu, which became vacant after Assemblyman Chu Kyung-ho became the People Power Party's candidate for Daegu mayor. There is keen interest in whether the Democratic Party will maintain its current number of seats or whether changes will occur. Another point of interest is the large number of high-profile candidates such as Song Young-gil, Lee Kwang-jae, Cho Kuk, and Han Donghoon. The outcome will significantly impact the political fate of these individuals. Moreover, it is likely to have a major influence not only on their personal political careers but also on the direction and policy line of their parties, including potential bids for party leadership. For these reasons, the June 3 by-elections serve as a barometer for the future direction of both the ruling and opposition parties.

In the Seoul metropolitan area, by-elections and special elections will be held in five districts: Gyeyang-eul in Incheon, Yeonsu-gap in Incheon, Ansan-gap in Gyeonggi Province, Hanam-gap in Gyeonggi Province, and Pyeongtaek-eul in Gyeonggi Province. Among these, Yeonsu-gap in Incheon and Pyeongtaek-eul in Gyeonggi Province are attracting particular attention. In Yeonsu-gap, former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil was strategically nominated as the party's candidate. Although he initially wanted to run in Gyeyang-eul, where he had previously served five terms, he was pushed out by Kim Nam-jun, former Blue House spokesperson and close aide to President Lee Jae-myung.

Yeonsu-gap is an area where Democratic Party lawmaker Park Chan-dae, now the Democratic Party's Incheon mayoral candidate, has served three terms, though it is known for its relatively strong conservative base. In last year's presidential election, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung received 48.30% of the votes in Yeonsu District, while People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo received 40.68%, and Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok obtained 9.91%. The People Power Party has not yet finalized its candidate. If former leader Song is elected, it is highly likely that he will run for party leader at the Democratic Party’s national convention scheduled for August.

Pyeongtaek-eul is drawing attention over whether Cho Kuk, candidate for the National Innovation Party, will win the seat. He is engaged in a fierce five-way race with Kim Yong-nam (Democratic Party), Yoo Ui-dong (People Power Party), Kim Jae-yeon (Progressive Party), and Hwang Kyo-ahn (Freedom and Innovation Party). Should Cho win, not only is a discussion of unification between the Democratic Party and the National Innovation Party likely, but talks on a realignment of the broader ruling bloc ahead of the 2028 general election are also expected to accelerate. The competition among potential next-generation leaders within the ruling bloc is also expected to intensify.

Jokook Innovation Party leader Jokook is speaking at the first election campaign committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 27th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

In the Chungcheong region, elections are being held in Asan-eul, South Chungcheong Province, and in Gongju-Buyeo-Cheongyang. In Asan-eul, a "women's showdown" is taking place between Jeon Eun-soo (Democratic Party) and Kim Min-kyung (People Power Party). In Gongju-Buyeo-Cheongyang, former presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-suk has announced his candidacy. Having served four terms in this district alone, Chung recently attended the opening ceremonies of campaign offices for People Power Party preliminary candidates for Gongju mayor and Cheongyang county governor. On the 30th, he wrote on his social media, "I could not turn away from my final duty to rebuild the conservative bloc, so after much deliberation, I decided to run." At the same time, some critics argue that as the last chief of staff under former President Yoon Suk-yeol, Chung should bear responsibility for the ensuing governmental turmoil.

Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon visited the Mandeok 2-dong Administrative Welfare Center in Buk-gu, Busan on the afternoon of the 14th, completed his transfer registration, and took photos with residents. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Buk-gu-gap in Busan has emerged as a hotly discussed district with the candidacy of former People Power Party leader Han Donghoon. In the Democratic Party, Ha Jung-woo, former Blue House Chief of AI Future Planning, is being considered as a candidate, while in the People Power Party, former lawmaker Park Min-sik is being mentioned. Should Han overcome various hurdles, including running as an independent, and win, he is expected to immediately become a central figure in the conservative realignment. If he is defeated, significant political damage will be inevitable. Han faces the immediate challenge of solidifying a clear two-way race.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.