Boseong County Chief Kim Chul-woo is dominating the race ahead of the June 3 local elections, with seven out of ten residents rating his administration positively and holding more than double the support of his nearest rival, according to a new poll.
The survey results have raised questions about whether Kim can surpass the 64.24% he secured in the 2022 Democratic Party primary, which combined votes from party members (50%) and general residents (50%).
The poll, commissioned by NewsWorks Gwangju-South Jeolla Bureau and conducted by Korea Information Research from February 27-28, surveyed 800 residents aged 18 and older in Boseong County, South Jeolla Province. Kim led with 47.6% support.
His competitors trailed significantly: former Jindo Deputy County Chief Yoon Young-joo at 20.2%, former South Jeolla Provincial Council member Lim Young-soo at 19.9%, and former Democratic Party Policy Committee Vice Chairman Seon Hyung-soo at 7.2%.
Notably, Kim's support exceeds the combined 47.3% of all three rivals, signaling a clear path toward a third term.
Kim's momentum has accelerated since receiving qualification approval as a Democratic Party preliminary candidate. A previous survey by Jowon C&I for Straight News conducted January 30-31 among 500 Boseong residents showed Kim at 41.5%, meaning his support rose 6.1 percentage points in one month.
Kim's administration received a 71.5% positive rating, with 41.7% of respondents saying he is "doing very well" and 29.8% saying he is "doing fairly well."
The poll was conducted via automated telephone survey using wireless virtual numbers (100%). The response rate was 26.5%, with a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Statistical weighting was applied based on resident registration data from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as of late January 2026.
Detailed information on these polls is available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Committee website.