The Democratic Party of Korea said Sunday that gubernatorial races remain tight in six regions, including Seoul and the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam area, two days before the June 3 local elections.
Cho Seung-rae, head of the Democratic Party's general election campaign headquarters, held a briefing at the National Assembly and said regarding the metropolitan mayoral and gubernatorial races, "I think six regions are still in a tight race." The Democratic Party has considered Seoul, Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongnam, Daegu, and Jeonbuk as battleground regions.
On the Jeonbuk gubernatorial race, where Democratic Party candidate Lee Won-taek and independent candidate Kim Kwan-young are locked in fierce competition, Cho said, "Through reports from the provincial party and a two-day visit I made to inspect the situation, our judgment is that the situation is improving."
In response to the People Power Party's claim that the gap is narrowing in the Chungcheong region, Cho dismissed it as "nonsense," adding, "I understand it as a campaign strategy of calling something a tight race when it isn't." He elaborated that "the four Chungcheong regions — Daejeon, Sejong, Chungnam, and Chungbuk — are stable."
Regarding the National Assembly by-election battleground of Pyeongtaek-B in Gyeonggi Province, he reiterated, "Our candidate Kim Yong-nam is holding up well, withstanding a triple attack from the Rebuilding Korea Party's negative campaign, vetting offensives from some media outlets, and attacks from the People Power Party."
He also said, "What is needed now is a 'People Power Party Prevention Law' to block election crimes," adding, "Seoul mayoral candidate Oh Se-hoon is suspected of operating a comment-posting team to manipulate public opinion, and Gyeongnam gubernatorial candidate Park Wan-su is suspected of mobilizing even public officials to produce deepfake videos."
Choi Ki-sang, chairman of the Democratic Party's Seoul Metropolitan Council, criticized, "It was just the other day that the People Power Party opposed a constitutional amendment to prevent the recurrence of martial law. It is difficult for the public to understand how those who opposed preventing martial law are now talking about a prevention law ahead of the election."
The Democratic Party issued an emergency order on the same day to halt campaign activities, including campaign songs and choreographed performances, immediately after the explosion at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant. Jung Cheong-rae, head of the general standing election committee, will move to Daejeon after finishing his Andong campaign rally to discuss on-site response and damage countermeasures.
