The Democratic Party of Korea is accelerating preparations for the June 3 local elections, framing the vote as a referendum on ending the insurrection crisis and replacing local governments. The party plans to complete candidate nominations by April, starting with interviews for metropolitan government head candidates this month. The party will also actively deploy artificial intelligence technology for public opinion monitoring and policy development.
"Looking at the reactions from the People Power Party and its leader Jang Dong-hyuk following the first trial verdict against insurrection ringleader Yoon Suk-yeol, ending the insurrection and ensuring thorough punishment remain our unfinished tasks," Cho Seung-rae, the Democratic Party's secretary general, said at a press briefing at the National Assembly on the 23rd. "The June 3 local elections must be an election that punishes the insurrection to the end, judges incompetent local governments, and ousts the 'Yoon Suk-yeol Kids.'"
The "Yoon Suk-yeol Kids" refers to major metropolitan government heads elected in the June 2022 local elections held shortly after the Yoon administration took office. Cho specifically named eight regions: Incheon, Daejeon, South Chungcheong, North Chungcheong, Sejong, Gangwon, South Gyeongsang, and Ulsan. "The metropolitan government heads who emerged from elections held less than a month after former President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration are utterly incompetent," he said. "I believe they should be ousted along with former President Yoon Suk-yeol."
Regarding Seoul and Busan mayors—considered the key battlegrounds in the June 3 elections—Cho said, "While it's difficult to call those who served in Seoul and Busan, which represent Korea, 'Yoon Kids,' I expect there will be judgment and evaluation of the incompetence displayed over four years."
The Democratic Party plans to minimize arbitrary nominations and enhance transparency in this election. The party has established a nomination grievance system allowing those unfairly cut off to seek redress. It has also set up an undercover inspection team and integrated verification center to monitor potential irregularities throughout the nomination process in real time.
"We have declared that unqualified candidates will be cut off without exception in the local elections, and there will be no unfair cutoffs or illegal screenings of parachute candidates," Cho emphasized. "The core principle is that nomination rights return to party members and citizens, blocking arbitrary exercise of nomination power by the party leader, provincial chairs, and district chairs."
The party has established an AI Strategy Team within its local election planning unit. The new team will build a prediction system by analyzing public opinion polls, media coverage, and online community trends in real time using AI. It will also support the development of regional AI industry strategies and campaign pledges. Through this, the party aims to extend the "AI Transformation" initiative of a Lee Jae-myung administration to local governments.
The Democratic Party has set a goal of completing nominations for metropolitan government heads by mid-April at the latest, allowing at least one month for general election preparations. Interviews for metropolitan government head candidates will be conducted over two days from the 23rd to 24th.
"With 100 days until the local elections, our biggest task is to spread President Lee Jae-myung's achievements to the regions and discover and present competent local government heads," Cho said. "For regional development, people with common sense must be chosen, and the Democratic Party will work to be chosen by citizens."
On electoral alliance with the Rebuilding Korea Party, Cho said, "It's difficult to predict at this stage as we need internal party discussions and talks with the Rebuilding Korea Party regarding the scope of alliance." When asked about the party's demand that the Democratic Party not field candidates in Gunsan and Pyeongtaek—where by-elections are being held due to Democratic Party culpability—he replied, "We are not giving it serious consideration and are thinking of fielding candidates in all by-election districts."
Regarding whether strategic nominations would be made for up to roughly 10 National Assembly by-election districts, Cho said, "By-elections are in principle strategic nominations," adding, "At this stage, there has been no discussion on how to handle overall by-elections or individual constituencies."
On former party leader Song Young-gil's reinstatement, Cho said, "He submitted his reinstatement application to the Incheon city party, but since his departure was from Seoul, it has been transferred to the Seoul city party. It's proceeding according to standard procedures." He added that a meeting between the Democratic Party leadership and former leader Song would take place.
Asked whether the Special Act on Administrative Integration might prioritize only Gwangju-South Jeolla and Daegu-North Gyeongsang, Cho replied, "Our basic principle is that all three [including Daejeon-South Chungcheong] must be processed," adding, "It's hard to understand [the People Power Party's] reasons for opposing it."