With one day left before the June 3 local elections, candidates from the ruling and opposition parties contesting the "Yong-Seong (Yongin-Seongnam) showdown" went all-out to win over voters on Monday through final campaign stops and press conferences. The two cities, where major issues such as the semiconductor industry, redevelopment, and regional transit networks intersect, remain locked in tight races whose outcomes are too close to call.
In the Yongin mayoral race, Hyun Keun-taek of the Democratic Party of Korea and Lee Sang-il of the People Power Party engaged in a fierce battle.
Hyun held a press conference at City Hall on Monday and urged voters to participate, saying, "Please make a cool-headed judgment about who will help Yongin develop and who can improve citizens' lives." He defined the election as "a choice between returning to the past or moving toward the future," emphasizing cooperation with the government and ruling party.
In particular, he presented the development of the Yongin semiconductor cluster, expansion of the regional transit network, and development of supporting cities as core visions, pledging to "make Yongin the world's No. 1 semiconductor city a reality." He also put forward the case for a ruling-party mayor capable of resolving local issues through cooperation with the central government, Gyeonggi Province, and the National Assembly. Regarding the recently controversial enforcement decree of the Special Semiconductor Act, he expressed opposition, saying, "Issues that should be decided by companies must not be shaken by political logic."
Amid the back-and-forth that continued until the final phase of the campaign, the semiconductor industry and urban growth strategy emerged as the biggest issues in Yongin, while redevelopment, livelihoods, and the political landscape became the focus in Seongnam. Attention is centered on what outcome voters' choices will produce in this election, which will determine the next four years for these key cities in southern Gyeonggi Province.
Countering him, Lee Sang-il appealed for support for re-election by highlighting his administrative performance over the past four years and his governance experience. "The future of Yongin and the fate of major projects depend on this election," he said. "Citizens will wisely judge who can lead the city administration with stability."
"Over the past four years, I have come to deeply understand local issues and the administration as a whole through meeting with citizens," Lee said. "Since mega-projects have largely reached the completion stage, continuity in city administration is needed." He also expressed expectations of becoming Yongin's first re-elected mayor, noting, "The atmosphere on the ground has changed since the TV debate, and citizens' support has been enthusiastic."
The Seongnam mayoral race has also remained tense until the final stretch amid intense exchanges.
Kim Byung-wook of the Democratic Party met with environmental workers in the early morning and then visited Eunhaeng Market with Choo Mi-ae, the party's Gyeonggi gubernatorial candidate, to communicate with merchants, continuing his people's livelihood-focused campaign. "The dedication of early-morning workers is the force that sustains Seongnam," Kim said, pledging improvements in the working environment and stronger citizen safety.
He then visited a traditional market to emphasize his commitment to supporting small business owners, stating, "Seongnam City and Gyeonggi Province will become one team to inject vitality into alley commercial districts." At a concentrated rally near Yatap Station, he pledged communication-based politics with citizens and a livelihood-centered city administration as he appealed for support.
In contrast, Shin Sang-jin of the People Power Party held a press conference at his camp in Yatap-dong and intensified his offensive against Kim. "This election is one that judges government-engineered elections and false agitation," Shin said, taking aim at the Democratic Party and the government. He also strongly criticized Kim's policies and remarks, citing controversies surrounding public contribution fees for Bundang redevelopment and the supply of rental housing.
