The Leadership Encourages Participation and Direct Voting... Candidates Are on Standby

Early Voting Completed by Ruling and Opposition Leaders
Schedule Includes Press Conference to Encourage Voting
Mayoral Candidates Await at Home

Kim Tae-nyeon: "The Public Sentiment is Like Heaven's Will"
Joo Ho-young: "People Power Will Win"

[Asia Economy Reporters Jeon Jinyoung and Park Juni] On the day of the April 7 by-elections, which carry various political implications beyond just electing the mayors of Seoul and Busan, the political world held its breath while checking the voter turnout announced hourly. Park Young-sun and Oh Se-hoon, candidates from the ruling party and the main opposition party respectively, stayed at home without any scheduled events in the morning, waiting for the exit poll results to be announced after 8 p.m. The party leaders of both ruling and opposition parties, who had completed early voting, carried out morning schedules such as press conferences encouraging voting. Kim Jong-in, the Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, participated in the main voting and appeared relaxed, as if sensing victory.

On the 7th, the day of the April 7 by-election, Kim Jong-in, the Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, and his wife, Kim Mi-kyung, Honorary Professor at Ewha Womans University, are voting at the Pyeongchang 3 polling station set up at Javier International School in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Chairman Kim visited the 3rd polling station in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and cast his vote together with his wife, Kim Mi-kyung, an honorary professor at Ewha Womans University. Wearing a suit with a checkered shirt, Chairman Kim responded to reporters' questions about his expectations for the election results by saying, "As expected, Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate for Seoul mayor, will win by a considerable margin," and added, "Considering the citizens' (high) interest in the election, I think the voter turnout will be just over 50%." Major political figures, including candidates from both ruling and opposition parties, completed their early voting during the early voting period on the 2nd and 3rd.

Kim Tae-nyeon, Acting Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is holding a press conference to encourage voting in the April 7 by-elections at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the decisive day, the leaders of both ruling and opposition parties each reaffirmed their determination to win. Kim Tae-nyeon, Acting Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference at the National Assembly in the morning and said, "I once again deeply felt how fearful the public sentiment, the will of the people, is. I will listen carefully and reflect with a humble attitude." Lee Nak-yeon, the Democratic Party’s Standing Election Committee Chairman, also stated, "I will faithfully carry out all the promises made to the people. I will wait for their choice with a sincere and earnest heart."

Joo Ho-young, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, appeared on YTN Radio’s ‘Hwang Bo-seon’s Start of a New Morning’ in the morning and said, "Before the ban on publishing opinion polls, the support rate difference in both Seoul and Busan was over 30%," and predicted, "If the opposition party does not win overwhelmingly, it will become a party without value, so the People Power Party will win."

The candidates from both ruling and opposition parties are resting at home without any morning schedules. Both parties have set up situation rooms at their central party offices to watch the exit poll results and vote counting broadcasts from various broadcasters, which will be announced after 8 p.m. When the vote counting begins, the candidates, party leaders, and election committee members are expected to gather in the situation rooms to watch the broadcasts.

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