Seoul – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s party won a resounding victory in key local elections across the country, piling pressure on opposition conservatives even as a setback in the Seoul mayoral race signaled the limits of its appeal.
Lee’s Democratic Party clinched 12 of 16 major posts in elections held Wednesday for provincial governors and mayors, according to data from the National Election Commission. That marked a reversal from four years ago and left the opposition People Power Party only able to secure Seoul after a highly contested vote and the traditionally conservative city of Daegu, as well as surrounding Gyeongsang provinces.
The DP victory symbolizes the strength of Lee’s popularity. It also highlights how the PPP is struggling to rebuild itself after a disastrous attempt to impose martial law by its former leader, President Yoon Suk Yeol. After that short-lived fiasco, he was impeached in December 2024, ultimately paving the way for Lee’s rise to power.
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