Justice Party Wins 9 Seats, Progressive Party 21: "Laying the Foundation for a Leap as Alternative Parties"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] The Progressive Party emerged stronger than the Justice Party, a parliamentary party, by producing a total of 21 elected officials in the June 1 local elections, including 3 metropolitan council members and 17 basic council members, as well as district mayors.

On the 2nd, the Progressive Party released a press statement announcing that it had produced a total of 21 elected officials in this local election, including Kim Jong-hoon, the district mayor of Ulsan. This figure more than doubled from the previous 10.

Candidate Kim Jong-hoon was elected as the mayor of Dong-gu, Ulsan, defeating Cheon Ki-ok of the People Power Party (45.16%) with 54.83% of the vote. According to the Progressive Party, this marks the first 'progressive local leader' in 11 years since 2011.

Additionally, metropolitan council members were elected in three locations: Sunchang-gun, Jeonbuk; Yeonggwang-gun, Jeonnam; and Jangheung-gun, Jeonnam. Seventeen basic council members were elected in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gwangju, Ulsan, Chungbuk, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk. Specifically, there was one each in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Jeonbuk, and Chungbuk; six in Gwangju; five in Jeonnam; and two in Ulsan.

The Progressive Party evaluated that "the production of 21 elected officials, doubling from the previous election, signifies laying the foundation for a leap forward as an alternative party."

Standing Representative Kim Jae-yeon expressed, "We sincerely thank the voters who gave the candidates of the small non-parliamentary Progressive Party a chance to work within the huge sanctuary of two-party politics." She added, "The Progressive Party will do its best to ensure that the new history of progressive politics created in Dong-gu, Ulsan spreads nationwide and that alternative politics capable of changing the old Korean politics can grow."

Meanwhile, the Justice Party had 37 elected officials in the 2018 local elections but was limited to 9 elected officials in this election.

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