494 Candidates Elected Unopposed in June 1 Election... Fivefold Increase Compared to Previous Election Due to Jinyeong Conflict

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

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] As a result of candidate registration for the June 1 local elections, 494 candidates were automatically confirmed elected without voting due to running unopposed.

According to the Central Election Commission's election statistics system on the 16th, three candidates from the People Power Party (Daegu Jung-gu, Daegu Dalseo-gu, Gyeongbuk Yecheon-gun) and three candidates from the Democratic Party (Jeonnam Haenam-gun, Jeonnam Boseong-gun, Gwangju Gwangsan-gu) were elected as heads of basic local governments without voting.

For regional district metropolitan councilors, 45 candidates from the People Power Party and 61 candidates from the Democratic Party were elected without voting. In the regional district basic councilor elections, 129 candidates from the People Power Party and 153 candidates from the Democratic Party were counted as elected unopposed. In the basic councilor elections, 44 candidates from the People Power Party and 55 candidates from the Democratic Party were confirmed elected without voting. In Jeju, one candidate was elected unopposed in the education councilor election in one district (Jeju-si Western Election District).

This surge in unopposed elections far exceeds the 89 unopposed winners in the 7th local elections in 2018. In political circles, the increase in unopposed elections is attributed to the solidification of confrontations between ruling and opposition camps and regional rivalries due to the presidential election, leading to fewer candidates running in unfavorable constituencies.

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