4770 Candidates Registered on First Day of Local Election Candidate Registration...16 Candidates with Assets Over 10 Billion Won

Asset Leader Ryu Seung-gu 38.8 Billion KRW · 2nd Place Kim Eun-hye
3,516 Individuals with Criminal Records... Maximum 14 Cases
Lowered Candidacy Age, 3 Teen Candidates

Employees are working at the Election Comprehensive Situation Room of the Central Election Commission in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 12 days before the 8th Nationwide Local Elections, which are 20 days away. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Hyun-ji] On the first day of candidate registration for the June 1 local elections, the 12th, among the 4,770 candidates who completed registration, 16 were billion-won asset holders. Candidates with criminal records numbered 3,516, accounting for 73.71% of the total.

According to the National Election Commission on the 13th, as of 9 p.m. the previous day, a total of 4,770 candidates had completed registration for metropolitan and basic local government heads, as well as metropolitan and basic council members. This number excludes candidates for education superintendent, education council member, and by-elections for the National Assembly. In the metropolitan government head elections, 39 candidates registered, showing a competition rate of 2.3 to 1. The most competitive election was the Gyeonggi Province governor election, with 6 candidates registered. For basic local government heads, 410 candidates registered; metropolitan council members, 1,003; basic council members, 2,922; and metropolitan/basic proportional representation, 396 candidates completed registration.

Among them, the candidate with the greatest assets was Ryu Seung-gu, a Korea Party candidate running for Seoul Jongno-gu mayor. As of December 31 last year, Ryu reported assets worth 38.8 billion won, but also had the highest amount of unpaid taxes at 412 million won among all candidates. The second wealthiest candidate was Kim Eun-hye, the People Power Party candidate for Gyeonggi Province governor, who reported assets of 22.531 billion won. Her tax payments were also high at 2.434 billion won compared to other candidates. The third richest candidate was Seo Eun-kyung of the Democratic Party, running for Seongnam City council in Gyeonggi Province, with assets totaling 18.461 billion won. Including these, a total of 16 candidates were found to have assets in the 10 billion won range.

The candidate with the least assets was Shin Hwa-soon, a Democratic Party candidate for Jangseong County council in Jeollanam-do, who reported debts of 3.38 billion won. The total number of candidates reporting negative net assets was 179.

There were 3,516 candidates with criminal records involving fines of 1 million won or more. Chae Nam-duk, an independent candidate for Gunsan mayor in Jeonbuk, and Kang Hae-bok, an independent candidate for Busanjin District council in Busan, each had the highest number of 14 criminal records.

There were 3 candidates in their teens. Kim Kyung-joo, a Democratic Party candidate for Gyeongju City council, and Lee Jae-hyuk, a Justice Party candidate for Gyeonggi Province council (proportional representation), are both 18 years old, while Shin Eun-jin, a Progressive Party candidate for Gyeonggi Province council (proportional representation), is 19 years old. This is due to the revision of the Public Official Election Act, which lowered the minimum age to run in local elections from 25 to 18 years old. Candidates aged 20 to 24 numbered 18.

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