Democratic Party candidate Park Chan-dae is poised to win the Incheon mayoral race in the June 3 local elections after securing 57.9% of the vote, beating People Power Party candidate Yoo Jeong-bok at 41.0% by a 16.9 percentage point margin. As of 1:20 a.m. Wednesday, with 49% of votes counted, Park had surpassed a majority and was widening his lead over Yoo.
Born in Incheon's Michuhol district and a graduate of Dongincheon High School and Inha University's business administration department, Park is a certified public accountant who previously served at the Financial Supervisory Service and as a vice president at an accounting firm. He served three terms as a National Assembly member representing Yeonsu-A district and rose to become the Democratic Party's floor leader. Analysts say his political clout from his floor leader experience, economic expertise, and local roots earned voter confidence. The "one-team" cooperation system with all 10 Democratic Party lawmakers from Incheon is also cited as a key factor in his victory.
Before his July 1 inauguration, Park will form a transition committee to review five core tasks: blocking the relocation of public agencies, ending the use of the metropolitan landfill, resolving the "double exclusion" issue, advancing the ABC+E new industry initiative, and stabilizing administrative system reorganization.
◆ Public Agency Relocation, Landfill Closure Top Citizen Demands
The most pressing issues raised by civil society are opposing the integration of Incheon International Airport Corporation and blocking the relocation of key institutions such as the Korea Environment Corporation and the Korea Polar Research Institute to other regions. As a candidate, Park said, "We must overcome the structural limitation in which decision-making authority lies with the central government," pledging to mobilize the political network he built as floor leader to negotiate directly with the relevant ministries. The 10 Democratic Party lawmakers from Incheon also jointly declared they would block related legislation, making clear that airport integration is impossible without revising the law in the National Assembly.
Ending the use of the metropolitan landfill in 2026, a long-cherished wish of Seo-gu residents, is another major task. The closure of the existing landfill must proceed without setbacks in connection with the results of the alternative landfill site competition, which is scheduled to be announced shortly after the election. Preparations for consultations with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Gyeonggi Province, and the Ministry of Environment will begin at the transition committee stage.
Resolving the "double exclusion" issue, which Park made a key campaign theme, will also begin in earnest. The contradiction in which Incheon is subject to metropolitan area regulations while being excluded from the government's "5 Mega-Regions, 3 Special Autonomous Provinces" balanced development support must be corrected. "As a mayor with a CPA background, I know Incheon's economic structure better than anyone," Park said. "I will tackle the double exclusion head-on with strong political leadership."
◆ ABC+E New Industries, Administrative Reform to Drive Ninth Elected Term
Park will also push his top campaign pledge, the "ABC+E" new industry strategy. In the artificial intelligence and biotechnology sectors, he plans to revitalize the Songdo Bio Cluster and push for the passage of the "Incheon Bio Science and Technology Institute Establishment Bill," which he sponsored as a lawmaker. In the cultural content sector, a 50,000-seat "K-Culture Stadium" will be built around the Munhak Stadium area in Michuhol-gu, and a convergence industrial belt will be established connecting Cheongna Robot Land (R&D) with the Namdong and Juan industrial complexes (production). In the finance-linked sector, an "ABC+E Fund" will be created through joint investment by the Incheon city government and financial institutions to provide capital to innovative companies and traditional manufacturers.
Stabilizing the administrative reorganization of Jemulpo-gu, Yeongjong-gu, and Geomdan-gu, which launches in July, is another task he must take responsibility for immediately upon taking office. An on-site inspection system will be operated from the transition committee stage to minimize administrative gaps and citizen inconvenience. To overcome the crisis of high prices and high oil costs, a 240 billion won emergency livelihood recovery second supplementary budget will also be implemented swiftly. An "Emergency Livelihood Recovery 100-Day Project," centered on expanding the Incheon e-eum Card limit and providing customized support for young people and small business owners, will be issued as the first administrative order of the ninth elected term.
Kim Song-won, secretary general of the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice in Incheon, said, "The neglect of Incheon could intensify due to policies led by the president, so it is urgent to correct government policy by reflecting local public opinion." He added, "Since resolving residents' opposition requires continuing the achievements made by Incheon civil society, such as the fourth alternative landfill competition and the ban on direct landfilling, a social consensus body on pending issues must be formed upon the launch of the new administration."
