The mayoral race in Gunpo, considered one of the biggest battlegrounds in central Gyeonggi Province for the June 3 local elections, has set up a rematch between Democratic Party candidate Han Dae-hee and People Power Party candidate Ha Eun-ho, who faced off in the 2022 election.
In that race, Ha narrowly defeated then-incumbent Mayor Han by a margin of just 1,134 votes.
Meeting again four years later in a head-to-head contest, the two candidates are highlighting their respective strengths on the redevelopment of first-generation new towns and urban development strategies.
Gunpo, which encompasses Sanbon New Town, faces a flood of citizen complaints about aging residential area renovations and the expansion of transportation and living infrastructure. Located close to Seoul and adjacent to Suwon, the capital city of Gyeonggi Province, the region also exhibits higher political sensitivity than other municipalities. This makes it a battleground where neither side can claim an advantage until the final stretch of the campaign.
Han, seeking a comeback after four years, is emphasizing that he will achieve regional development through smooth new town redevelopment by strengthening cooperation with the central government. Particularly with the Democratic Party having secured leadership of state affairs following the local elections, he is presenting cooperation with the ruling party as the only path to urban development. He pledges to actively attract government policies and budgets to Gunpo to push forward transportation network expansion and projects to strengthen urban competitiveness.
Countering this, Ha is putting forward both his incumbent advantage and his role as the first to raise the need for the special law on first-generation new towns in the political arena, where he played a pivotal role in its enactment. Ha's camp assesses that establishing the institutional foundation for the redevelopment of first-generation new towns, including Sanbon, has created a turning point for Gunpo's development. If reelected, Ha plans to swiftly push forward reconstruction and redevelopment projects based on the special law.
The two candidates are also engaged in fierce policy competition over the GTX and metropolitan transportation network improvements as well as local economic revitalization.
Local political circles point to two key variables that will determine the outcome: how much weight Ha's record of development achievements will carry given the high expectations for Sanbon New Town redevelopment, and conversely, how much voters will resonate with Han's argument emphasizing the ruling party premium and the potential for central government support.
"Since the Gunpo mayoral race features former and current mayors, there will be little difference in their understanding of local issues," a local political insider said. "Whether residents choose continuity in urban redevelopment based on the new town special law, or new development momentum through cooperation with the ruling party, will determine the outcome."
