Should I Run or Not in the June Local Elections?... Why Is the Mayor of District A in Seoul Worried?

Concerns Grow Over June 1 Local Elections and March 9 Presidential Election Impact Amid Ruling Party's Move to Deny Consecutive Third-Term Lawmakers' Candidacy in Next General Election

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The mayor of District A in Seoul is currently facing considerable concerns.

With the presidential election just a month away and its outcome uncertain, and the ruling party seemingly confirming that three-term consecutive local members of the National Assembly will not run again, the situation is tense.

First, the 8th local elections scheduled for June 1 will be held about a month after the inauguration of the presidential election winner on March 9, so the presidential election results are expected to have a decisive impact.

Amid this, the widening gap in public opinion polls between presidential candidates is causing even greater worry.

Because of this, it is reported that the mayor of District A has been telling those around him that he is carefully considering whether to run in this local election.

If he runs in this local election and loses, it will be difficult for him to run in the 22nd general election as well, since the party is unlikely to nominate someone who has failed in an election that is a serious judgment by the residents.

Therefore, it seems he has judged that it would be a wiser decision to not run in this local election and instead aim for the next general election.

A person who recently met with the mayor of District A reportedly heard about these concerns.

Accordingly, in the 8th local elections, eight three-term mayors?including former Jongno District Mayor Kim Young-jong, who resigned to run in the National Assembly by-election, as well as Yongsan District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun, Dongdaemun District Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol, Gangbuk District Mayor Park Gyeom-su, Dobong District Mayor Lee Dong-jin, Seodaemun District Mayor Moon Seok-jin, Gangseo District Mayor Noh Hyun-song, and Guro District Mayor Lee Sung?along with nine others such as former Seocho District Mayor Cho Eun-hee, who ran in the Seocho Gap National Assembly by-election as a two-term mayor, will naturally not run.

Including Dongjak District Mayor Lee Chang-woo, who has effectively declared he will not run in this local election, it appears that 10 out of the 25 Seoul district mayors will not participate in the local elections.

Mayor Lee of Dongjak District is reportedly showing a much more relaxed demeanor these days.

Moreover, if current mayors who have lost party nominations are included, it seems likely that more than half of the 25 candidates will be replaced by new figures.

A Seoul city official stated, “Depending on the results of this presidential election, the June 1 local elections are also expected to be decisively influenced, and it seems highly likely that a significant number of Seoul district mayors in the 8th term will be replaced.”

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