Dobong and Gangseo Districts, Where Lee Had Strong Support in the Presidential Election, Also Chose Ruling Party Mayors

1:24 to 17:8
Seoul District Power Map Dramatically Changed

No Districts with Song Young-gil's Dominance
Democrats Suffer Defeat in District Mayor Elections
Lose Strongholds in Southwest and Parts of Gangbuk
Among 8 Districts Without 3-Term Incumbents, All but One Chose People Power Party

Stability Over Checks on Seoul City Administration
People Power Party Secures 76 Seats in City Council

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] The political landscape of Seoul's autonomous districts has been completely overturned for the first time in four years. In the 2018 local elections, the Democratic Party planted its flag in 24 out of 25 autonomous districts in Seoul, but this time, it lost 16 of those to the People Power Party, holding onto only 8 districts, which is one-third of Seoul. Although the fierce battle of the Democratic Party was somewhat expected due to the election being held right after the presidential election and the 'incumbent premium' of current Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, the fact that Democratic Party candidate Song Young-gil did not lead in a single Seoul district and that the People Power Party took the majority in the Seoul Metropolitan Council, where the Democratic Party held over 90% four years ago, indicates a complete defeat for the Democratic Party in the Seoul local elections.

According to the National Election Commission on the 2nd, the People Power Party ultimately won in 17 out of 25 district offices in Seoul in the nationwide simultaneous local elections held on the 1st. This is a significant change compared to four years ago when the Democratic Party swept 24 districts except Seocho-gu.

The Democratic Party retained the district mayor positions in eight areas including Seongdong, Jungnang, Seongbuk, Gangbuk, Nowon, Eunpyeong, Geumcheon, and Gwanak, but lost seats in some southwestern and northern districts, which were considered Democratic Party strongholds.

In Yeongdeungpo-gu, Choi Ho-kwon of the People Power Party defeated incumbent Democratic Party candidate Chae Hyun-il and was elected, while in Dongjak-gu and Guro-gu, People Power Party candidates Park Il-ha and Moon Heon-il, who emphasized synergy with Mayor Oh Se-hoon, were elected.

It is also notable that in eight districts?Dobong, Guro, Seodaemun, Dongdaemun, Gangseo, Jongno, Yongsan, and Gangbuk?where there was no incumbent due to the three-term limit, People Power Party candidates retained seven out of eight seats. Particularly, Dobong-gu and Gangseo-gu, which showed high support for Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung in the March presidential election, elected People Power Party candidates Oh Eun-seok and Kim Tae-woo respectively as district mayors.

The Democratic Party tried to leverage the 'Lee Jae-myung marketing' by appointing Lee, who narrowly lost to President Yoon Seok-youl by 0.72 percentage points in the March 9 presidential election, as the head of the general election campaign committee and as a candidate in the Incheon Gyeyang-eul by-election, emphasizing that 'although he lost the presidential election, he received support from half of the people.' However, the 'Lee Jae-myung effect' was absent in this Seoul district mayor and city council election.

Among the 11 constituencies in Seoul that supported Lee Jae-myung in the last presidential election, only seven?Jungnang, Seongbuk, Gangbuk, Nowon, Eunpyeong, Geumcheon, and Gwanak?chose Democratic Party candidates as district mayors. In the remaining four districts?Seodaemun, Gangseo, Guro, and Dobong?voters who had supported Lee in the presidential election turned their backs on the Democratic Party by electing People Power Party candidates this time.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was elected as the Seoul mayor for the fourth term, is arriving at the city hall main building on the 2nd. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

This is interpreted as Seoul citizens choosing 'stability' over 'checks and balances' on Seoul city administration by empowering current Mayor Oh Se-hoon. There is also analysis that Democratic Party Seoul mayoral candidate Song Young-gil, who ran against Oh, failed to properly read this trend. Early in the election, Song emphasized balanced Seoul city governance to check the unilateral rule of the Yoon Seok-youl administration rather than focusing on Mayor Oh. Moreover, Song was unable to resolve internal party conflicts that arose from his candidacy and the primary process, and faced numerous oppositions even within the party throughout the election, which is seen as a regretful factor.

Ultimately, in this Seoul mayoral election, Song failed to close the initial 20 percentage point gap at the time of his candidacy announcement and lost by a final margin of 19.82 percentage points (Oh Se-hoon 59.05% - Song Young-gil 39.23%).

Furthermore, Song did not lead in a single one of the 25 districts in Seoul. During the campaign, Song expected the gap to narrow to 5 percentage points, but the smallest margin was 8.27 percentage points in Gwanak.

Song Young-gil, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for Seoul mayor, is greeting after acknowledging defeat at the election campaign office set up in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 1st. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers.

The Seoul Metropolitan Council was also swept by the People Power Party. In 2018, the Democratic Party held 102 out of 110 seats (100 constituency seats and 10 proportional representation seats), but in this local election four years later, the People Power Party took 76 out of 112 seats (101 constituency seats and 11 proportional representation seats), securing a majority with 67.86%.

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