The Tamesis
April 13, 2026
Seoul – With about 50 days left before South Korea’s June 3 local elections, the vote will be a key test for President Lee Jae-myung and his government, with the outcome likely to affect the government’s momentum heading into its second year.
The election is Lee Myung-bak’s first nationwide vote since he took office after former President Yoon Seok-yeol was impeached last July. Voters will elect about 4,000 officials, including 16 mayors and governors.
While local elections have traditionally focused on regional leadership, party dynamics and presidential approval ratings are expected to have a significant impact on the outcome.
Sweep and defend
The election is increasingly seen as a contest between the ruling Democratic Party consolidating power and the main opposition People’s Power Party defending its existing strongholds.
The People’s Power party currently controls 12 of the country’s 17 metropolitan municipalities, a result of its landslide victory in the 2022 local elections.
A strong performance by the Democratic Party would enable the ruling party to control Congress and local governments, potentially strengthening policy implementation and coordination. Conversely, a weaker-than-expected result could embolden the opposition to call for greater scrutiny of the government and undermine its legislative momentum.
Recent opinion polls have boosted the ruling party’s prospects. A survey conducted by Gallup Korea from Tuesday to Thursday showed that Lee Jae-yong’s approval rating reached the highest point since taking office, 67%.
Notably, support increased even in typically conservative areas such as Daegu, Busan, Ulsan, and North and South Gyeongsang Provinces.
Park Myung-ho, a professor of political science at Dongguk University, said in a phone interview with The Korea Herald that the election will be “the first national mid-term evaluation of the Lee Jae-myung government.”
“With public opinion currently leaning toward political stability, existing advantages may be an important factor,” he said, suggesting the Lee administration may enter the election with a relative advantage.
“At the same time, the race will depend on how centrist voters assess the government’s performance and whether candidates can broaden their core support base,” he added.
Amid internal strife, candidate lineup begins to take shape
The Democratic Party and People’s Power Party are accelerating candidate selection, although both sides are still trying to resolve internal disputes.
So far, the Democratic Party has confirmed its candidates in 11 regions, while the People’s Power Party has confirmed its candidates in nine regions. The five divisions of Incheon, Busan, Gangwon Province, Gyeongsangnam Province and Ulsan have been determined to compete head-on.
In Busan, current Mayor Park Heung-joon of the People Power Party will face Democratic Rep. Jeon Jae-soo. Busan has emerged as a key battleground, with Chun showing an early advantage, but the People’s Power Party’s dominant performance in the 2024 election suggests the race remains unstable.
In Incheon, Rep. Park Chan of the Democratic Party, the front floor representative under President Lee, challenged the current mayor Ryu Jung-bok.
Gangwon Province will usher in a contest between former Cheong Wa Dae Chief Secretary for Political Affairs and Democratic Party candidate Oh Sang-ho and current Governor Kim Jin-tae.
The Seoul election is the most watched race, but instability remains on the People’s Power Party side. The Democratic Party selected former Seoul Seongdong-gu mayor Chung Won-oh, while the People Power Party is expected to finalize its candidate this week in a three-way race that includes current mayor Oh Se-hun.
Professor Park of Dongguk University explained that the race in Seoul will hinge on “the conflict between Mayor Oh’s existing advantage and the ruling party’s early momentum.”
Democrats have largely shifted into full campaign mode, with coordinated outreach efforts and an emphasis on party unity.
However, internal tensions persist, particularly in North Jeolla Province, where major disputes have led to hunger strikes and accusations of rule violations.
The People’s Power Party faces similar frictions.
In Daegu, excluded main contenders are weighing independent bids, raising concerns about splitting votes in a key conservative stronghold. Internal divisions over candidate recruitment have also come into public view within the party leadership.
Daegu, long considered a conservative bastion, has become an unexpected wild card. Divisions within the People’s Power party and the possibility of an independent run have raised the prospect of a more competitive race, raising expectations for former prime minister and Democratic candidate Kim Bo-gyun.
By-elections, reform votes add complexity
Local elections will be held alongside an increasing number of council by-elections, with the number of constituencies expected to increase to around 10 or more.
That number is likely to rise further as more lawmakers join the gubernatorial race, raising the possibility of a “mini-election” that could reshape the balance in the National Assembly.
The main areas include Incheon Gyeyang B, Chungcheongnam Asan B, Gyeonggi Ansan A and Pyeongtaek B, Jeollabuk-do Gunsan-Gimje-Buan A, as well as seats vacated by candidates running for local office.
There is also concern over whether the election will be accompanied by a constitutional referendum, a move that could further increase voter turnout and political risks.
Meanwhile, People Power party chairman Jang Dong-hyuk described the upcoming election as “the main front in defense of freedom and democracy” as he traveled to Washington ahead of Saturday’s vote.
“South Korea is at a critical moment when freedom, rule of law and market order are shaken,” Jang said in a Facebook post on Sunday, defending his visit as part of a broader effort to safeguard national interests.
The ruling party is expected to campaign on the themes of political stability and governance efficiency, while the opposition is likely to stress the need to check what it calls excessive concentration of power.
With economic concerns – including Middle East-related uncertainty and housing pressures – rising to the fore, observers say the outcome will ultimately depend on how voters balance stability and accountability.
The official campaign period for the local elections will take place from May 21 to June 2. Early voting will take place over two days, May 29 and 30, followed by the main vote on June 3.
