Complete Overhaul of Busan Regional Power... Conservatives Sweep Mayor, Superintendent, City Council Members, and District Heads

People Power Party's Busan mayoral candidate Park Hyung-jun, the election campaign committee chairman, and district mayor candidates cheer as the exit poll is announced on the afternoon of the 1st at the Busan City Party Office in Suyeong-gu, Busan.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo, Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Doo-yeol] The rematch of the Busan local elections ended as a spectacular revenge drama for the People Power Party.

For the first time in history, the 16 basic local government heads in Busan were swept clean by the People Power Party, with no independents allowed.

With the People Power Party's landslide victory in the simultaneous local elections on June 1 for Busan Mayor, Busan Superintendent of Education, and Busan City Council, the entire Busan region has reestablished itself as a conservative stronghold.

In this election, the People Power Party achieved a landslide victory by securing 45 out of 47 seats in the Busan City Council. Even the remaining 2 seats were given up as proportional representation seats.

The Busan Superintendent of Education seat was also taken by Ha Yun-su, a moderate-conservative candidate, who defeated Kim Seok-jun from the progressive camp, who was seeking a third term. As expected, Park Hyung-joon also retained his position as Busan Mayor.

According to the vote count results from the Central Election Commission on the 2nd, the People Power Party won all 42 district seats in the Busan City Council. In proportional representation, the People Power Party secured 3 out of 5 seats, resulting in a total of 45 out of 47 Busan City Council members being elected from the party.

The People Power Party avenged the crushing defeat it suffered to the Democratic Party of Korea in the 7th local elections four years ago and regained local power.

In the 7th local elections four years ago, the Democratic Party of Korea won 41 out of 47 Busan City Council seats (38 district seats and 3 proportional representation seats). This election marks a dramatic reversal and a major shift in local power.

The People Power Party not only saw Park Hyung-joon, its Busan mayoral candidate, overwhelmingly re-elected but also secured an absolute majority in the Busan City Council, thereby controlling both the Busan city government and the city council.

In education, conservative-leaning candidate Ha Yun-su succeeded in blocking Kim Seok-jun’s third term, breaking the progressive education superintendent belt in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) region, which includes Ulsan’s No Ok-hee, who was re-elected for a third term, and Gyeongnam’s Park Jong-hoon, who also secured a third term.

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