Official Local Election Campaign Kicks Off... Stability Argument vs. Check-and-Balance Argument: The Decisive Factor

Ruling and Opposition Leaders Gather in Incheon
Lee Jae-myung Wind Blockade vs. All-Out Battle to Defend Majority in Seoul Metropolitan Area
Variables Emerge: Supplementary Budget, Biden's Visit to Korea, Personnel Controversies

Lee Jae-myung, the General Election Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, is shaking hands and greeting with Park Nam-chun, the candidate for Mayor of Incheon, and Yoon Ho-jung, the Emergency Committee Chairman, at the Democratic Party of Korea Incheon Election Committee Launch Ceremony held at Geyang Station Square in Incheon on the 19th. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers.

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Kwon Hyun-ji] The leadership of both ruling and opposition parties gathered in Incheon on the first day of the official campaign for the June 1 local elections. This is because the outcome of the local elections is being decided in the metropolitan area belt, and winning Incheon along with Gyeonggi is considered important. Especially for the Democratic Party of Korea, it is a must-win situation as Lee Jae-myung, the party's standing adviser (pictured), is running in Gyeyang-eul, Incheon. During the official campaign period, the ruling and opposition parties are expected to engage in fierce election battles over the debate between national stability and checks and balances.

On the 19th, the Democratic Party held a launch ceremony for the Incheon election countermeasures committee in front of Gyeyang Station in Incheon. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's general election committee chairman, appealed for support, saying, "Now that we have sufficiently judged, for the future of the country and for a better life for our people, please elect people who will work this time."

Kim Min-seok, co-chairman of the Democratic Party's election committee, explained on a radio broadcast that day, "Among all the elections, there is the Gyeyang-eul election where Chairman Lee is running, and Incheon is one of the ultra-competitive areas. Also, it is important in terms of where the majority will be secured among the three metropolitan areas, so we started first here." The Democratic Party's choice of Gyeyang-eul instead of the office of Park Nam-chun, the Incheon mayoral candidate, is interpreted as an intention to spread the momentum of Chairman Lee, who performed well in the last presidential election.

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, and other party leaders held an election committee meeting at the office of Yoo Jeong-bok, the People Power Party's Incheon mayoral candidate. Lee emphasized the need for Incheon development by mentioning GTX and the Incheon-origin KTX. However, the People Power Party also has a plan to preemptively cut off the Lee Jae-myung momentum. Kim Ki-hyun, co-chairman of the People Power Party's election committee, mentioned, "At first, there was a discussion about holding the first election committee meeting (of the official campaign) in Gyeyang, where Chairman Lee is running, but we did not do so."

Since the election is being held less than three months after the presidential election, the overall election is generally evaluated by the political circles as being favorable to the ruling People Power Party. The People Power Party has set a goal of winning nine out of 17 metropolitan autonomous entities, while the Democratic Party has set a goal of eight.

For now, the political circles expect that the debate between national stability and regime checks will dominate the overall election atmosphere. Attention is focused on the supplementary budget bill, which includes compensation for small business losses related to COVID-19, currently under discussion in the National Assembly. During the first supplementary budget, which was processed in the middle of the presidential election, the ruling Democratic Party saw an effect in approval ratings and other areas.

On the 19th, Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate for Seoul mayor, held his first focused campaign rally near Citylex in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

The impact of personnel issues in the early days of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration on voter sentiment and the 13th anniversary memorial service for former President Roh Moo-hyun are also variables in the remaining period. The plenary session for the confirmation of Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo is scheduled for the 20th, and controversies over past remarks by Yoon Jae-soon, secretary general of the presidential office, may influence voter sentiment. Former President Moon Jae-in is expected to attend the memorial service for former President Roh on the 23rd, and the opposition hopes to rally its support base. Previously, People Power Party lawmakers showed changed attitudes by attending the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement events. Kim Bong-shin, CEO of Metavoice, commented, "President Yoon shows a different approach from past conservative governments on issues like May 18," adding, "There are symbolic events like historical sites that once united the Democratic Party, and it seems these aspects are going through a process of neutralization."

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