[6.3 Election] Kang Seonghwi Leads Mokpo Mayoral Poll with 56.9% Support

A 31.4 Percentage Point Lead Over Park Hongryul
Kang’s Electability Also Tops at 63.4%

Kang Seonghwi, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Mokpo Mayor, is leading with a majority support rate according to a recent poll on the Mokpo mayoral election.

According to a survey commissioned by Seoul Economic TV and conducted by polling agency Realmeter, Kang recorded a support rate of 56.9% among prospective Mokpo mayoral candidates. Park Hongryul of the New Reform Party ranked second with 25.5%, resulting in a gap of 31.4 percentage points between the two candidates.

Mokpo Mayor Poll Approval Ratings. Provided by Candidate Seonghwi Kang's Campaign

Next were Yeo Indu of the Justice Party with 4.1%, and independent candidate Kim Siyoon with 2.4%. Other candidates accounted for 2.8%, while 4.5% of respondents had no preferred candidate, and 3.9% responded that they did not know.

In the poll on electability, Kang also maintained an advantage with 63.4%. Park recorded 22.3%, while Yeo and Kim recorded 3.0% and 2.1%, respectively.

Within the local political scene, some analysts attribute these results to Kang’s efforts to unite the party into a "one team" following the Democratic Party’s primary, bringing together internal competitors and consolidating the base. In particular, the post-primary cooperation with former rival Lee Hokyun’s camp is seen as having influenced the early momentum of the general election.

Kang’s campaign stated, "We interpret this as citizens expressing their expectations for change and a new future for Mokpo," adding, "We will not become complacent, and will continue to listen to the voices of citizens with humility."

Kang’s key pledges for this election include: establishing Mokpo as a hub for the marine industry, creating a youth support agency, expanding the issuance of local gift certificates by 100 billion won, increasing parking capacity by 5,000 spaces, and building an integrated wide-area living zone based on the unification of the Muan Peninsula.

Kang emphasized, "This survey reflects both the expectations and the responsibilities entrusted by the citizens," and added, "Instead of conflict and partisan strife, I will lead city administration that focuses on the livelihood and future of the people, ushering in a new leap forward for Mokpo."

Meanwhile, the survey was conducted by Realmeter at the request of Seoul Economic TV from May 10 to 11, targeting 704 men and women aged 18 or older residing in Mokpo, Jeollanam-do.

The survey utilized a structured questionnaire with an automated response system (ARS), and applied weighting by region, gender, and age group based on resident registration population statistics from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as of the end of March 2026. The response rate was 8.0%, and the margin of error was ±3.7 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. For more details, refer to the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.

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