The Democratic Party Faces 'Crushing Defeat' and the People Power Party's 'Landslide Victory' Exit Polls Cause Discomfort and Shock (Comprehensive)

Terrestrial Broadcasters' Exit Poll
Oh Se-hoon 59%, Park Young-sun 37.7%
Park Hyung-joon 64%, Kim Young-choon 33%

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] At 8:15 p.m. on the 7th, when the broadcast exit poll results for the April 7 by-elections were announced as a landslide victory for the opposition (Seoul 21.3 percentage points, Busan 31 percentage points difference), the Democratic Party of Korea could not hide its dismal atmosphere. Short sighs were heard, and some party leaders showed bewildered expressions. Some lawmakers silently lowered their heads and furrowed their brows. Amid an overall heavy silence, the party leadership refrained from making any statements and maintained serious expressions.

At around 8:07 p.m., Kim Tae-nyeon, acting party leader, entered the vote counting situation room with a blank expression. For about eight minutes until the exit poll results were announced, there was an intense silence where not even a breath could be heard. Sitting with his hands clasped, Kim intently watched the broadcast for about eight minutes, and when the exit poll results were announced at 8:15 p.m., he silently and stiffly watched the TV screen without any movement.

In the exit polls conducted by the three terrestrial broadcasters that day, in the Seoul mayoral election, Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate, received 59% of the votes, defeating Park Young-sun, the Democratic Party candidate (37.7%), by a margin of 21.3 percentage points. In the Busan election, Park Hyung-joon of the People Power Party was tallied at 64.0%, and Kim Young-choon of the Democratic Party at 33.0%. The gap between the two candidates was 31 percentage points. This is a significant difference from the Democratic Party’s initial expectation of a neck-and-neck race within about 3 percentage points.

Kim Tae-nyeon, Acting Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and others are leaving the party headquarters after checking the exit poll results of the April 7 by-elections at the situation room set up at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 7th. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

As the broadcast aired the remarks of Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate with a high likelihood of winning, and Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman, occasional sighs were heard among the leadership, and a sense of dismay was detected. When the announcer mentioned that early voting results had not yet been reflected, some lawmakers turned their heads from side to side, showing signs of agitation.

At around 8:24 p.m., Kim, who had been clasping his hands, released them and placed them on his knees, and camera flashes went off. With a stern expression, Kim stood up at around 8:25 p.m. and left the room without making any further statements.

On that day, Lee Nak-yeon, the standing election committee chairman, was not present in the vote counting situation room. This was because his wife had entered self-quarantine due to close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case. The Democratic Party’s public relations office stated, "Chairman Lee’s wife was classified as a close contact and entered self-quarantine until April 15," and "Chairman Lee also entered self-quarantine with his wife following the recommendations of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency."

Candidate Park Young-sun was expected to arrive at the situation room around 10 p.m. Choi In-ho, the Democratic Party’s chief spokesperson, told reporters immediately after the exit poll announcement, “Nothing has been decided yet. No position can be taken based solely on the exit poll results,” and refrained from further comment. The Democratic Party is reportedly planning to hold a closed supreme council meeting based on the exit poll results.

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