[Anchor] Fourteen parliamentary by-elections will be held nationwide alongside the June 3 local elections. The races have drawn attention as candidates from both camps — including Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, and Han Dong-hoon, a former People Power Party leader — as well as several former Blue House officials, have entered the contests. Reporter Yang Sori has the report. [Reporter] Fourteen districts will hold parliamentary by-elections concurrently with this year’s local elections. That is more than double the six by-elections held four years ago, prompting some to call it a “mini general election.” Attention is concentrated on Busan’s Buk-gu A and Pyeongtaek B in Gyeonggi Province, where heavyweight contenders from both parties have entered the race. Han Dong-hoon, who was expelled from the People Power Party, declared his bid in Busan’s Buk-gu A. The Democratic Party nominated Ha Jung-woo, a former Blue House AI chief, while the People Power Party nominated Park Min-sik, a former minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, setting up a likely three-way contest. Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, chose Pyeongtaek B in Gyeonggi as the district where he will attempt to win a seat in the National Assembly. The Democratic Party nominated Kim Yong-nam, a former Saenuri Party lawmaker once known for targeting Cho Kuk, and the People Power Party nominated Yoo Ui-dong, a former PPP lawmaker. Except for Daegu, the other 13 by-election districts were previously represented by ruling-party lawmakers. Looking at districts where the Democratic Party holds a clear advantage: Song Young-gil, a five-term lawmaker and former Democratic Party leader who served five consecutive terms representing Gyeyang B, will run as the Democratic candidate in Yeonsu A, Incheon. Gyeyang B will feature Kim Nam-joon, a former Blue House spokesperson widely seen as close to the president. In conservative-leaning districts the Democrats consider strategic: in Hanam A, Gyeonggi, the Democrats nominated Lee Kwang-jae, former governor of Gangwon, while the People Power Party nominated Lee Yong, who narrowly lost in the last general election and is running again. In Ulsan Nam A, Democratic attorney Jeon Tae-jin will face Kim Tae-gyu, the People Power Party’s local chair. Chungnam Gongju remains undecided for both parties; the People Power Party received a nomination application from former presidential chief of staff Jeong Jin-seok but has put his review on hold. In Daegu Dalseong, a solid People Power Party district, the party nominated former KCC commissioner Lee Jin-sook. The Democratic Party is focused on defending its seats, while the People Power Party is trying to gain as many seats as possible. The two parties remain locked in a hard-fought contest across these districts. This is Yang Sori for Yonhap News TV. [Video reporting: Park Tae-beom, Hong Su-ho] [Video editing: Lee Ae-ryeon] [Graphics: Lee Jeong-tae] [News tip line] For Yonhap News TV reports and tips: KakaoTalk/LINE jebo23 Yang Sori (sound@yna.co.kr)
2026 Korean By-Elections: Key Candidates and Strategies in 14 Districts Revealed
Yang So-ri | 2026.05.05
[Anchor] Fourteen parliamentary by-elections will be held nationwide alongside the June 3 local elections. The races have drawn attention as candidates from both camps — including Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, and Han Dong-hoon, a former People Power Party leader — as well as several former Blue House officials, have entered the contests. Reporter Yang Sori has the report. [Reporter] Fourteen districts will hold parliamentary by-elections concurrently with this year’s local elections. That is more than double the six by-elections held four years ago, prompting some to call it a “mini general election.” Attention is concentrated on Busan’s Buk-gu A and Pyeongtaek B in Gyeonggi Province, where heavyweight contenders from both parties have entered the race. Han Dong-hoon, who was expelled from the People Power Party, declared his bid in Busan’s Buk-gu A. The Democratic Party nominated Ha Jung-woo, a former Blue House AI chief, while the People Power Party nominated Park Min-sik, a former minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, setting up a likely three-way contest. Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, chose Pyeongtaek B in Gyeonggi as the district where he will attempt to win a seat in the National Assembly. The Democratic Party nominated Kim Yong-nam, a former Saenuri Party lawmaker once known for targeting Cho Kuk, and the People Power Party nominated Yoo Ui-dong, a former PPP lawmaker. Except for Daegu, the other 13 by-election districts were previously represented by ruling-party lawmakers. Looking at districts where the Democratic Party holds a clear advantage: Song Young-gil, a five-term lawmaker and former Democratic Party leader who served five consecutive terms representing Gyeyang B, will run as the Democratic candidate in Yeonsu A, Incheon. Gyeyang B will feature Kim Nam-joon, a former Blue House spokesperson widely seen as close to the president. In conservative-leaning districts the Democrats consider strategic: in Hanam A, Gyeonggi, the Democrats nominated Lee Kwang-jae, former governor of Gangwon, while the People Power Party nominated Lee Yong, who narrowly lost in the last general election and is running again. In Ulsan Nam A, Democratic attorney Jeon Tae-jin will face Kim Tae-gyu, the People Power Party’s local chair. Chungnam Gongju remains undecided for both parties; the People Power Party received a nomination application from former presidential chief of staff Jeong Jin-seok but has put his review on hold. In Daegu Dalseong, a solid People Power Party district, the party nominated former KCC commissioner Lee Jin-sook. The Democratic Party is focused on defending its seats, while the People Power Party is trying to gain as many seats as possible. The two parties remain locked in a hard-fought contest across these districts. This is Yang Sori for Yonhap News TV. [Video reporting: Park Tae-beom, Hong Su-ho] [Video editing: Lee Ae-ryeon] [Graphics: Lee Jeong-tae] [News tip line] For Yonhap News TV reports and tips: KakaoTalk/LINE jebo23 Yang Sori (sound@yna.co.kr)
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