The Democratic Party of Korea announced it will field candidates in all districts holding National Assembly by-elections alongside the June 3 local elections. The decision effectively dismisses the Rebuilding Korea Party's demand that the DP refrain from running candidates in districts where by-elections are being held due to the Democratic Party's own misconduct. The move further complicates the political calculations of Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk. Some observers suggest the rift between the two parties, which had pursued a merger as recently as this January, is deepening.
"There has been much back-and-forth lately, but the Democratic Party will run in all districts in the National Assembly by-elections," DP leader Chung Chung-rae said at a field Supreme Council meeting in Damyang, South Jeolla Province, on Thursday. "We will nominate candidates in every single district as a matter of principle, and proceed swiftly once local election nominations are finalized."
Chung reaffirmed that all by-election nominations would be made through strategic appointments. "Given physical time constraints and various circumstances, holding primaries would be difficult," he said.
With Chung's official confirmation of the all-district nomination policy, Cho appears to be facing deeper deliberations. The Rebuilding Korea Party has repeatedly demanded that the DP not field candidates in Pyeongtaek-eul, Gyeonggi Province, and Gunsan-Gimje-Buan-gap, North Jeolla Province, where by-elections are being held due to DP-related misconduct. Recently, Cho emphasized that "during the Moon Jae-in and Lee Jae-myung eras, the party did not field candidates when by-elections were held due to our own party's fault."
However, with this demand rejected, analysts say Cho's own electoral prospects have become uncertain. Potential constituencies for Cho's candidacy include Busan, Ulsan, Ansan and Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province, Asan in South Chungcheong Province, Gunsan in North Jeolla Province, Gwangsan in Gwangju, and Hanam in Gyeonggi Province. If he faces a Democratic Party candidate, observers predict votes are more likely to consolidate behind the DP rather than split.
"The Democratic Party appears to be going its own way, and the Rebuilding Korea Party will also go its own way," Cho said Thursday.
Political observers also raise the possibility of Cho running in Busan Buk-gap, a constituency mentioned as a likely district for former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon. With his chances diminishing in DP-stronghold regions, creating a three-way race with the DP and PPP could actually work to his advantage, some analysts suggest. Such a move would fulfill his promise to run in a competitive district while gaining symbolic value through a direct contest with Han and the DP candidate. The DP leadership is reportedly considering recruiting Ha Jung-woo, Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning, as their candidate for Busan Buk-gap.
The rift between the two parties appears to be widening, with the DP confirming its all-district nomination policy despite having attempted a merger as recently as January. With less than two months until local elections, no clear blueprint for electoral cooperation has emerged. After the merger fell through, the DP established a "Committee to Prepare for Coalition and Integration" while the Rebuilding Korea Party set up a "Committee to Pursue Zero People Power Party Coalition," yet not a single official meeting between the two parties has taken place. Even if substantive discussions begin, meaningful cooperation appears unlikely given the DP's effective distancing from any alliance, observers say.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party finalized additional nominations for North Jeolla Province governor and Jeju governor on Thursday. This completes candidate selection for 12 of the nation's 17 metropolitan and provincial governorships. Lee Won-taek was confirmed as the North Jeolla Province governor candidate after a contentious process. Kim Kwan-young, the incumbent North Jeolla governor who had led in polls, was expelled amid allegations of providing proxy restaurant bill payments. Although similar "meal payment" allegations were raised against Lee, the DP's Ethics Inspection Unit concluded there was "no wrongdoing." Lee is championing the creation of a "Sunshine and Wind Pension City" that would directly boost household incomes through expanded renewable energy development in the Saemangeum region.
In Jeju, Moon Dae-rim and Wi Seong-gon will compete in a final runoff. Moon advanced to the runoff despite a 25 percent penalty for his history of leaving the party. In contrast, Oh Young-hun was eliminated after a 20 percent deduction for poor performance ratings as a metropolitan government head. Moon is pledging to revitalize the local economy through a 500 billion won supplementary budget, while Wi is proposing initiatives including an AI-powered assistant service for residents.
