As the June 3 local elections enter their final stretch, the mayoral races in Gwangju, Icheon, and Yeoju — the representative ceramic-producing cities in the southeastern part of Gyeonggi Province — are unfolding as fierce policy battles over regional development strategies. Although the three regions are collectively known as Korea's "ceramic belt," voters' attention is shifting beyond the traditional industry to securing future growth engines such as expanded transportation networks, advanced industry development, and tourism revitalization. The three races, in which Democratic Party of Korea candidates are challenging incumbent People Power Party (PPP) mayors with calls for "generational change," are drawing considerable attention as a barometer of public sentiment in southeastern Gyeonggi.
The Gwangju mayoral race is shaping up as a head-to-head contest between Democratic Party candidate Park Kwan-yeol, a former provincial assembly member, and PPP candidate Bang Se-hwan, who is seeking re-election. Gwangju has seen steady population growth thanks to its proximity to Seoul, but chronic traffic congestion and various development regulations have been cited as obstacles to urban growth. Park is calling for a change of administration, pledging to address traffic issues, promote balanced development, and expand living infrastructure. In response, Bang is emphasizing stable city governance based on the urban development projects and transportation network expansion achieved during his first term. Key issues include the construction of GTX-linked transportation networks, the development of the Gwangju station area, and improvements to water source protection zone regulations.
In the Icheon mayoral race, competing visions for the future of the semiconductor industry stand out. Democratic Party candidate Sung Soo-seok faces incumbent PPP candidate Kim Kyung-hee. Icheon, home to the headquarters of SK hynix (000660.KS), is considered a direct beneficiary of the recent semiconductor recovery and expanded investment. Local corporate income tax revenues, expected to approach 200 billion won, are substantial even compared to the city's annual budget of around 1.7 trillion won this year. Whoever wins will face a "happy dilemma" in city administration. Sung is appealing for change, emphasizing expanded youth employment, regional economic revitalization, and welfare policies that residents can directly feel. Kim is pushing forward with the expansion of an advanced industrial cluster linked to the semiconductor industry and business-friendly policies.
The Yeoju mayoral race comes down to a contest between Democratic Party candidate Park Si-seon and incumbent PPP Mayor Lee Choong-woo. Yeoju has abundant tourism resources, including the Namhan River, the Royal Tomb of King Sejong, and Silleuksa Temple, but faces challenges such as development restrictions, weak industrial infrastructure, and population decline. Park is attempting to differentiate himself by calling for more aggressive investment attraction, support for young people to settle in the city, and regional economic revitalization. Lee is emphasizing continuity in ongoing projects, including business attraction, industrial complex development, and tourism infrastructure expansion. Building a Namhan River tourism belt and creating a stay-type tourism city are representative areas of competition.
All three regions share a regional identity rooted in their nationally renowned ceramic industries. Gwangju's royal ceramics, Icheon ceramics, and Yeoju ceramics boast a long history and tradition. While each city now hosts its own ceramic festival reflecting local characteristics, the three were also "sister cities" that jointly hosted the World Ceramic Exposition, a major event held in the early 2000s.
The three regions also share the common task of finding new growth engines amid changes in industrial structure. Accordingly, candidates are presenting plans to link the ceramic industry with cultural and tourism content while strengthening regional competitiveness through advanced industries, business attraction, and improved settlement conditions.
The Gyeonggi provincial chapters of the Democratic Party and the People Power Party are concentrating their resources on what they see as the decisive issues in each race: transportation and regulation in Gwangju, the semiconductor industry in Icheon, and tourism and business attraction in Yeoju.
A local political insider said, "The three regions are geographically close, but Gwangju and Icheon-Yeoju each have different challenges and voting tendencies." The insider added, "The point to watch is how much the PPP candidates, with their incumbent advantage, can overcome the aftershocks of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment through their accomplishments so far."
