Pyeongtaek-eul in Gyeonggi and Buk-gap in Busan, the Biggest Battlegrounds in By-elections, Locked in 1% Margin Neck-and-Neck Races

Cho Kuk 31.1% vs Yoo Euidong 30.6% vs Kim Yongnam 30.3%
Ha Jungwoo 42.6% vs Han Donghoon 41.6%

The Pyeongtaek-eul district in Gyeonggi Province and the Buk-gap district in Busan, both considered the most fiercely contested battlegrounds in the parliamentary by-elections held alongside the June 3 nationwide local elections, were also shown to be in a neck-and-neck race according to exit polls by the three major broadcasters.

According to the exit polls released by KBS, MBC, and SBS at 6 p.m. on June 3, 2026, after the close of voting, in Pyeongtaek-eul, Gyeonggi Province, Cho Kuk, candidate of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, received 31.1%, Yoo Eui-dong of the People Power Party received 30.6%, and Kim Yongnam of the Democratic Party of Korea received 30.3%.

Jeong Cheong-rae, the Executive Chief Campaign Committee Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea, along with other party leaders, is watching the exit poll broadcast at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul on June 3, 2026. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

A by-election was held in this district after former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Byeongjin was disqualified due to a violation of the Public Official Election Act.

A total of five candidates drew attention by running for the seat: three from the broader progressive camp (Kim Yongnam, Cho Kuk, and Kim Jaeyeon) and two from the broader conservative camp (Yoo Eui-dong and Hwang Kyo-ahn). Many expected a candidacy consolidation within each camp, but as it did not materialize, the five-way race continued until the end.

The Buk-gap district in Busan, left vacant after former Democratic Party lawmaker Jun Jae-soo ran for Busan mayor, also showed a tight race with a margin of around 1%. Ha Jungwoo of the Democratic Party of Korea received 42.6%, Park Minshik of the People Power Party received 15.8%, and Han Donghoon, an independent candidate, received 41.6%.

Jang Donghyuk, Permanent Election Countermeasures Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, and Song Eonseok, Co-Chairman of the Joint Election Countermeasures Committee, along with other co-chairmen, are reporting the exit poll results of the 9th nationwide local elections and the June 3rd by-elections for the National Assembly at the vote counting situation room prepared at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul on June 3, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

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