Candidate registration opens for June 3 local elections

Lead

South Korea’s June 3 local elections and parliamentary by-elections moved into their official campaign period this week, with the ruling Democratic Party (DP) holding a commanding but narrowing lead in public support over the main opposition People Power Party (PPP). At the same time, the National Election Commission (NEC) reported that more than 500 candidates were elected without a vote, a development that has prompted concerns about voter choice in this year’s contests.

Candidate registration opened on May 14 for two days, with the NEC receiving filings from prospective candidates. Official campaigning began on May 21 and will run for 13 days through the eve of the elections, during which candidates and their teams are permitted to give public speeches between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., distribute campaign materials, and put up banners. Early voting is scheduled for May 29-30.

Coverage comparison

Yonhap News Agency, the sole outlet whose coverage is reflected in this report, has presented the elections through several distinct lenses. Early reports focused on the opening of candidate registration and the significance of the vote as the first major nationwide test for President Lee Jae Myung’s administration, which took office last June. Subsequent coverage highlighted the narrowing gap between the two major parties in public approval ratings, while separate reports drew attention to the unusually high number of unopposed victories and what that might mean for the quality of local representation.

A May 15 report cited a Gallup Korea survey conducted on 1,011 adults showing the DP at 45 percent approval and the PPP at 23 percent, a 22-percentage-point gap. The lead emphasized that while the gap remains considerable, it has been shrinking steadily from a peak of 30 points in early April. A later report, published May 28, noted that recent surveys conducted before the blackout on election-related nationwide polls showed races tightening, with some contests appearing too close to call.

In contrast, an opinion piece carried by Yonhap took a critical view of the large number of unopposed victories, arguing that weakened competition and limited choices undermine grassroots democracy. That piece used more assertive language, describing the situation as one where voters’ ability to evaluate candidates has been effectively lost in many districts.

The factual core of the election coverage is consistent across the reports: the elections will fill mayor and governor seats in 16 metropolitan cities and provinces, along with superintendents of education, chiefs of smaller administrative units, and 14 vacant National Assembly seats. Key races include the Seoul mayoral contest between incumbent PPP Mayor Oh Se-hoon and DP candidate Chong Won-o, as well as the high-profile parliamentary by-election in Busan’s Buk-A constituency, where former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon is running as an independent against DP candidate Ha Jung-woo and former PPP lawmaker Park Min-shik.

Key claims

• Narrowing approval gap: According to a Gallup Korea survey conducted May 12-14, the DP’s approval rating stood at 45 percent, while the PPP’s was 23 percent. The gap between the parties was 22 percentage points, down from 30 points at the start of April. The survey also found that 44 percent of respondents said more DP candidates should be elected in the local elections, while 33 percent favored opposition candidates.

• Unopposed victories: The NEC reported on May 16 that 513 candidates—including three local government heads—had been elected without a vote because they ran unopposed. The three local chiefs are Kim I-gang of Gwangju’s Seo ward, Kim Byung-nae of Gwangju’s Nam ward, and Lim Byeong-taek, mayor of Siheung. All three are DP members. The other 510 unopposed winners are local council members.

• Record-low candidate-to-seat ratio: The average candidate-to-seat ratio in this election was 1.81 to 1, equal to the record low set in 2022. A Yonhap analysis noted that residents in 307 constituencies effectively have no choice in the elections because of uncontested races or insufficient candidates.

• Campaign timeline: Candidate registration opened May 14, official campaigning began May 21, and early voting starts May 29. The elections take place June 3.

• Candidate totals: A total of 7,829 candidates registered for the elections, according to the NEC. That figure includes 54 candidates for 16 metropolitan mayors and provincial governors, 585 candidates for heads of lower-level administrative units, 804 for provincial and metropolitan councils, and 2,650 for lower-level local councils.

Perspectives

The only named perspective in the provided material is that of the ruling Democratic Party, as expressed through party officials. DP Secretary General Rep. Jo Seoung-lae said the official campaign period would be “the golden time to complete the normalization of South Korea,” and described the election as an extension of the presidential election aimed at eradicating what he called “the remnants of the incompetent insurrectionist forces”—a reference to the political fallout from former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ouster. No other party or official viewpoint appears in the coverage provided.