AnalysisElection fallout leaves rival party leaders on shaky ground
DPK leader clings to ‘victory’ narrative, while PPP chairman digs in despite backlash
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Jung Chung-rae leaves the office after a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Newsis
Korea’s June 3 local elections have left both the ruling and opposition parties with wounded leaders who are politically weakened yet unwilling to step aside.
Traditionally, a heavy electoral setback prompts party leaders to offer an apology and resign, paving the way for an emergency interim leadership. This time, neither side followed that script. Instead, the chairmen of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the People Power Party (PPP) insist they preserved “hope” or “victory,” even as their leadership and authority are being increasingly questioned by party members.
On the surface, the ruling liberal party can claim victory, as Chairman Jung Chung-rae did on Thursday, given that it captured 12 of the 16 top posts of the nation’s metropolitan and provincial offices. But key, symbolic losses have forced insiders to acknowledge that the outcome looks far less reassuring.
The most painful blow came in Seoul, where incumbent PPP Mayor Oh Se-hoon defeated DPK candidate Chong Won-o, despite early polls showing Chong’s substantial lead and President Lee Jae Myung’s approval rating hovering around 60 percent.
A series of high-profile by-elections delivered further blows. In five closely watched contests, including in Busan’s Buk-A and Pyeongtaek-B constituencies, DPK candidates lost. Han Dong-hoon, the former PPP leader who ran as an independent in Busan, defeated Ha Jung-woo, an artificial intelligence expert hand-picked by the president, despite being in a three-way race with another conservative candidate, Park Min-shik.
The day after Wednesday’s elections, Jung, in a careful tone, thanked voters for giving the DPK “a great nationwide victory” while conceding that “it hurts we could not reclaim Seoul.” He did not, however, offer an apology or any pledge to overhaul the party’s future strategy.
Critics say Jung may have been too complacent, with early polling showing a big gap against the PPP, which had still been embroiled in infighting over the martial law decision made by former President Yoon Suk Yeol. That complacency was demonstrated in a late push for a special prosecutor bill over a controversial indictment cancellation for the current president, just months ahead of the elections.
Lee Hyun-chool, political science professor at Konkuk University, said the results reflected a voter-driven check on the ruling government, particularly in response to controversies such as the indictment cancellation.
“Voters appear to have exercised a balancing instinct. When they feel both central and local powers risk becoming too concentrated, voters tend to step in to restore equilibrium. This election can be understood in that light,” he told The Korea Times.
At the next DPK national convention scheduled to be held in August, Jung is expected to face a competitive bid for another term as chairman, with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok expected to enter the race, he added.
Conservative People Power Party Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok speaks during a protest against the National Election Commission, along with protesters gathered near a polling station in southern Seoul, Friday. Newsis
The situation appears more complicated for the PPP. The party lost a significant number of major posts to DPK candidates — as well as a key lawmaker seat in Busan’s Buk-A, where Han defeated the PPP candidate. At the same time, the PPP managed to hold on to Seoul and a handful of other constituencies, leading some to assess that it avoided the worst-case scenario.
Within the party, calls for accountability have begun to emerge. Supreme Council member Woo Jae-jun and Rep. Park Jeong-hun have publicly called on Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok to step down after what they described as a clear defeat.
Seoul Mayor Oh distanced himself from the party leadership during the campaign. He called on Jang to break with Yoon and far-right groups, but as Jang continued to defend Yoon, Oh did not join him for any joint campaign events — a strategy many believe helped attract enough moderate voters to win reelection.
Yet Jang seems determined to stay on. On Thursday, he said in a social media post that “we have kept the embers of hope alive” despite challenges. The next day, he joined protesters who gathered outside a polling station in Seoul, where ballot shortages had forced voters to wait or turn away on Election Day, saying he would “continue to fight” with supporters.
If Jang, along with members of his Supreme Council, refuses to resign, there are few options available to force him to. His term will end in August 2027.
Amid mounting calls within the party for its leadership to resign, Rep. Song Eon-seog, the floor leader, stepped down from his position on Friday.
"This election is a remarkable victory for the wisdom of the people. In line with the will of the people, I believe our party also needs a fresh start," he said.
Saying the people and party members protected the PPP in times of hardship, Song said, "For the support, we could survive and were equipped with minimum basis to rise again. But my capacity was not enough to fulfill the task of rebuilding our party."