The Ulsan mayoral race is narrowing 19 days ahead of the June 3 local elections, as the Democratic Party and the Progressive Party agreed to field a unified candidate while conservative independent candidate Lee Chul-soo withdrew Thursday in favor of the People Power Party's Kim Du-gyeom, leaving a three-way contest.
◇ Democratic-Progressive Alliance: Agreement on Ulsan Mayor and Five District Races, Forming 'One Team'
Democratic Party Secretary-General Cho Seung-rae and Progressive Party Secretary-General Shin Chang-hyun announced an "Electoral Alliance and Unification Agreement" at the National Assembly on Thursday, the final day for candidate registration. Under the agreement, Democratic Party candidate Kim Sang-wook and Progressive Party candidate Kim Jong-hoon, both running for Ulsan mayor, will determine a single candidate through a 100% public opinion poll. The day before, Democratic Party candidate Kim Sang-wook and Rebuilding Korea Party candidate Hwang Myung-pil had already agreed to unify behind Kim, effectively forming a broad single front.
The unification extends beyond the Ulsan mayoral race to include heads of basic municipalities, metropolitan council districts, and even parts of Busan. For Ulsan's Dong-gu district mayor race, the Progressive Party candidate will run, while Democratic Party candidates will contest the Buk-gu and Jung-gu district mayor races through mutual concessions. The Nam-gu district mayor, Ulju County mayor, and Busan Yeonje-gu district mayor races, along with four Ulsan metropolitan council districts (Dong-gu 3, Buk-gu 3, Jung-gu 2, and Nam-gu 3), will be decided through primaries.
The two parties defined the unified regions as "Citizen Sovereignty Local Governments," planning to institutionalize citizen participation and cooperative governance through ordinances and to prepare joint policies. They plan to hold a signing ceremony before finalizing the unified candidates.
At a press conference at the Ulsan Metropolitan Council press room Thursday afternoon, Democratic Party candidate Kim Sang-wook said, "The Democratic Party and the Progressive Party are not competitors but comrades opening a democratic world together." He added, "We will once again join forces for an Ulsan where citizens are the true owners."
Progressive Party candidate Kim Jong-hoon also said, "We agreed to unify in line with the spirit of the times — clearing the insurrection and transforming Ulsan." He added, "The democratic, progressive, and reformist forces will walk together for a better life for Ulsan citizens."
◇ Independent Candidate Lee Chul-soo Withdraws, Backs Kim Du-gyeom and Urges Conservative Unity
Meanwhile, conservatives are also consolidating through candidate withdrawals. Independent candidate Lee Chul-soo, who had declared his bid for Ulsan mayor, held a press conference at the Ulsan Metropolitan Council press center Thursday and announced, "I declare my support for People Power Party candidate Kim Du-gyeom and withdraw my candidacy."
"What Ulsan needs now is not experiments and slogans, but an administrator who can actually move Ulsan," Lee said. He then urged Park Maeng-woo, who is running as an independent after being excluded from the People Power Party's nomination, saying, "Do not turn your back on citizens' yearning for a major conservative consolidation, and join the unification effort."
◇ Final Lineup Expected: Liberal Unified Candidate vs. Kim Du-gyeom vs. Park Maeng-woo
During the two-day candidate registration on Wednesday and Thursday, four candidates initially registered for the Ulsan mayoral race: Kim Sang-wook of the Democratic Party, Kim Du-gyeom of the People Power Party, Kim Jong-hoon of the Progressive Party, and independent Park Maeng-woo. Of these, Kim Sang-wook and Kim Jong-hoon will be narrowed down to one through a primary.
In contrast, talks on a "conservative unification" between People Power Party candidate Kim Du-gyeom and independent Park Maeng-woo are currently suspended. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, the June 3 Ulsan mayoral election is expected, barring any surprises, to be a three-way race between the unified liberal-progressive candidate and conservative candidates Kim Du-gyeom and Park Maeng-woo.
