DPK far outpaces PPP in nominations for Daegu mayoral election

Kim Boo-kyum, left, former prime minister and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s candidate for Daegu mayor, shakes hands with Rep. Joo Ho-young of the main opposition People Power Party during the 2026 Daegu Easter Union Service at Daegu Stadium, April 5. Yonhap

The race for Daegu mayor ahead of the June 3 local elections is beginning to take shape, but the two major parties are moving at noticeably different speeds.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has already locked in its candidate, while the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is still dealing with fallout from its nomination process, with disputes continuing inside the party and outside challengers emerging as a real possibility.

The liberal DPK moved early, confirming former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum as its sole candidate in the city, a longtime stronghold for conservatives, and shifting quickly into campaign mode.

Party leaders have since visited Daegu and begun coordinating support, signaling that the race is already underway for the party.

Kim, a four-term lawmaker who represented Daegu’s Suseong District and later served as prime minister, is one of the party’s most recognizable figures.

The party is betting on his experience and name recognition in a region where it has long struggled to gain ground.

People Power Party candidates for the Daegu mayoral primary pledge fair competition during an agreement ceremony at the party’s Daegu chapter office, April 1. Yonhap

During a visit to Daegu, DPK leader Jung Chung-rae made that point directly. “It is hard to find anyone with his level of experience and capability,” Jung said, calling Kim “the only winning card” for the election.

The PPP, by contrast, has yet to settle its lineup in the city, where winning the conservative party's ticket used to automatically mean winning the mayoral election.

The party initially had nine contenders before cutting the field to six, with a preliminary vote scheduled for April 15 and 16 to narrow the race to two finalists.

But the process has not moved smoothly. The initial cutoff triggered backlash from several candidates for including Rep. Joo Ho-young, a Daegu-based veteran politician and six-term lawmaker, and former Korea Communications Commission Chair Lee Jin-sook, an emerging figure in the conservative political scene.

The party's nomination committee eliminated the two, even though they were at the top of public opinion polls for PPP candidates in the city. The committee did not provide clear reasons for their elimination beyond saying that the party needed fresh figures.

Joo took the issue to court and is continuing legal action after his injunction request was dismissed.

Lee Jin-sook, former chair of the Korea Communications Commission and a Daegu mayoral hopeful, speaks to reporters at her campaign office in Daegu, Monday. Yonhap

“I will make a final decision on my political future after watching the appellate court’s ruling,” Joo said, leaving open the possibility he might run as an independent.

Joo also criticized the party leadership, arguing that the nomination process itself was flawed. He warned that similar disputes could arise again if the issue is not addressed.

Lee is taking a similar stance.

“I have never considered anything other than running for Daegu mayor,” she said, rejecting PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok's call for her to run in a by-election for a parliamentary seat for a Daegu district.

The possibility of independent bids by Joo and Lee has raised concerns within the PPP, because it will split support from conservative voters and could lead to Kim winning.

The remaining candidates in the primary are Reps. Yun Jae-ok, Choo Kyung-ho, Yoo Yeong-ha and Choi Eun-seok, along with former Dong District head Lee Jae-man and former lawmaker Hong Suk-joon.

As the PPP continues to deal with internal disputes, DPK candidate Kim has been widening his campaign footprint in Daegu, meeting local figures and giving media interviews.

He also pointed to the ongoing disputes within the rival party, saying the prolonged nomination process has left little room for policy debate.

He emphasized the need to shift attention toward economic issues and jobs in the region, calling for “a proper debate about Daegu’s future” as the official campaign period approaches.