Ruling party candidate loses in South Korea's Seoul district mayor election, casting dark clouds over Yoon administration ahead of next spring's general election

The election for the mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, which attracted attention as a prelude to the general election to be held in South Korea in April next year, was held on the 11th of this month.
) was elected. The loss of the ruling party candidate was reported by Korean media as ``a big blow to the ruling party ``People's Power'' and President Yoon Seo-gyeol (KBS), and ``the chill in the capital area.
The ruling party, which has confirmed the popular will, is expected to face tough demands from both inside and outside the country to hold it accountable and reform itself.'' (The Hankyoreh)
The Gangseo Ward mayoral election was a one-on-one battle between Mr. Chin and former ward mayor Kim Tae Woo of the ruling party People's Power, and Mr. Chin won.
. Mr. Chen received 56.52% of the votes, 17.15 points higher than Mr. Kim's 39.37%. In response to Chin's election, Lee Jae-myung, representative of the Democratic Party of Japan, posted on his SNS, ``The people
"This is a great victory for Japan, and a harsh judgment on the failures of national politics." ``I don't think it's a victory for the Democratic Party,'' he said, ``This is a harsh whip for the people who want political awakening and restoration of people's livelihood.
I once again reflect on the fact that we, the Democratic Party, which held the power, were lacking in many areas. We can transcend our small differences and unite, transcend conflicts and divisions, and unite as a people to overcome crises.
Develop a better future for the nation and its people. I will do my best to revive politics in the true sense of competing solely for the interests of the nation and the welfare of the people."
Mr. Chin is a 56-year-old from Iksan County (now Iksan City) in Chollabuk-do, Jeollabuk-do Province, in the southwestern part of the country. police in 1989
After graduating from university, he became a police officer and served as the information management director of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the information director of the National Police Agency, the director of the Jeollabuk-do Police Agency, and the deputy director of the National Police Agency.
On the other hand, Mr. Kim, who lost this election, won the June 2022 Gangseo Ward mayoral election, but he was a public prosecutor's office employee before becoming the ward mayor.
He was found guilty in May of this year for leaking secrets from the former Moon Jae-in administration. He lost his job as ward chief. However, in August this year, Liberation Day (from the Japanese colonial rule)
He was eligible for a special pardon (amnesty) held on the occasion of the Liberation Day of 2007, and ran in the by-election held after he lost his job. To support Mr. Kim, who lost his job after being convicted of a crime, in a by-election.
At the time, doubts were being raised even within the ``People's Power'' party. Regarding the results of this election, which was held under these circumstances, the Korean newspaper Hankyoreh said, ``Gangseo District is an area where the opposition parties (both Democratic Party) are strong.
Even taking this into consideration, it seems likely that there will be criticism that the disastrous defeat with a 17-point difference was due to unreasonable official recognition." ``President Yoon is Kim Hyun, who lost his position as district mayor after receiving a final sentence of suspended sentence.
He was pardoned and reinstated in August, paving the way for him to run for office. It appears that the leadership of ``People's Power'' will also be criticized for approving candidate Kim based solely on the president's office.''
Ahead of the general election to be held in April next year, the ruling and opposition parties are conducting an all-out campaign in the ward mayor's election, which they regard as a prelude. Party leaders rushed to support him every day. In general elections, the outcome in the metropolitan area, where there are many centrists, determines the outcome for the entire country.
The Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported, ``The 'metropolitan area crisis theory' is on the rise again.'' Dong-a Ilbo also commented on the election results, saying, ``In 2020, the people's power lost a landslide to the Democratic Party of Japan.''
It turns out that he was defeated by the same difference in votes as in the 2019 general election." ``After the 2020 general election, the will of the people of Gangseo Ward, who chose ``people's power'' in last year's presidential and local elections, was reflected in the 2020 general election.
There is a view that he has returned to his support for the Democratic Party at the time of his election." Furthermore, on the 13th, the results of a public opinion poll that were even more damaging to ``the power of the people'' were announced. Polling company Korea Gallup
According to the results of a survey conducted between the 10th and 12th of this month among 1,002 people aged 18 and over nationwide, party support was tied for ``People's Power'' and ``Together with the Democratic Party'' at 34%. Also, next year's general election
48% of people said that ``more opposition candidates should be elected,'' which was higher than 39% who said ``more ruling party candidates should be elected.''
In response to the results of the ward mayor's election, ``People's Power'' released a comment saying, ``We take the harsh rebuke very seriously.''
We will swiftly implement our reform agenda and create a new Republic of Korea that meets the people's perspective. "We will become a party that first approaches the people with a more humble attitude." There are less than half a year left until the general election. “The power of the people” is this
Can you overcome the headwind?