Ruling Party "3% Narrow Victory" vs Opposition Party "Win by 15% Margin"

Lee Nak-yeon "Shy progressives start speaking... Polls and grassroots sentiment differ"
Kim Jong-in "We will win comfortably... Will leave the party the day after the election"

Park "Riding the 'No Hoe-chan bus' to Noryangjin Fish Market to gauge public sentiment"
Oh appeals for support from 2030 youth in Gwangjin-gu, where he previously ran

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok, Oh Ju-yeon, Geum Bo-ryeong] With the April 7 by-elections just one day away, both ruling and opposition parties have launched their final all-out campaigns. While the ruling party is pinning hopes on a last-minute comeback, the opposition party is confident of a landslide victory in both the Seoul and Busan mayoral races.

On the 6th, Lee Nak-yeon, the standing election committee chairman of the Democratic Party, appeared on CBS Radio’s ‘Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show’ and predicted the election would be "a close race within about 3%." Lee said, "Supporters who did not speak out before (shy progressives) have started to speak," adding, "Polls showed our response rate was significantly low, but those people are now expressing their support for us, so the poll results differ from the grassroots sentiment." He also expressed hope for a comeback, saying, "We might be able to win."

However, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, appeared on the same broadcast and gave a contrasting prediction, saying, "I think we will win comfortably by double digits, at least by 15% or more." Joo said, "If the Democratic Party mobilizes their organization, their support rate might rise a bit, so the gap could narrow. On the other hand, if the angry public heads to the polls, it will be advantageous for us. How these factors play out as pluses and minuses is the key." Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, also told the media that day, "We expect to win easily," adding, "No matter how much negativity they use, they cannot artificially change the results." It was reported by Seong Il-jong, a fellow emergency committee member of the same party, that Kim will step down as chairman and leave the party the day after the election, on the 8th.

Meanwhile, candidates from both parties continued their intense campaigning from early dawn, focusing their final efforts. Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party’s Seoul mayoral candidate, boarded the first run of bus number 6411, known as the ‘No Hoe-chan Bus,’ departing from Guro-dong around 4 a.m., traveling to Noryangjin Market to gauge grassroots sentiment. Park referred to the late former lawmaker No Hoe-chan’s past support rallies during his run for the Dongjak District National Assembly seat, appealing for support from progressive-leaning voters. Park urged, "If you vote tomorrow, we will definitely win." After concentrated campaigning in Gwanghwamun, Seodaemun-gu, Eunpyeong-gu, Yeongdeungpo, and Mapo, Park will conclude the day with street greetings in Gwanghwamun.

Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party’s Seoul mayoral candidate, began his final campaign day at Jayang-dong Intersection in Gwangjin-gu, the district where he ran during the 21st National Assembly general election. He said, "I can clearly feel the support from the younger generation," adding, "The behavior of the Seoul mayor over the past 10 years and the Moon Jae-in administration over the past 4 years has been very disappointing to young people’s values of fairness and coexistence, even showing hypocritical behavior, which I think has started to anger young people." Oh will visit Jungnang-gu, Nowon-gu, Dobong-gu, Jongno-gu, and other districts to meet citizens. He will also visit the university area in Sinchon, Seodaemun-gu, to solidify support among voters in their 20s and 30s.

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