South Korea's Democrats Sweep Local Elections in Landslide Win

(MENAFN) South Korea's ruling liberal Democratic Party delivered a commanding performance in local elections Thursday, claiming victories across the majority of the country's most contested races, according to data from the nation's election authority.

With nearly all ballots tallied, the Democratic Party captured 12 of 16 races for metropolitan mayors and provincial governors — including the pivotal Gyeonggi province, the western port city of Incheon, the southeastern port city of Busan, and both South Jeolla and North Jeolla provinces, traditional strongholds of the liberal bloc, the National Election Commission confirmed.

The main conservative rival, the People Power Party, held onto four mayoral and gubernatorial contests — among them the capital Seoul, the southeastern inland city of Daegu, and the South and North Gyeongsang provinces, which form the bedrock of conservative support in the country.

In parliamentary by-elections, the Democratic Party claimed nine of 14 available seats, while the People Power Party secured four. A single independent candidate clinched victory in Busan.

The vote was broadly interpreted as a referendum on the administration of President Lee Jae Myung, now entering its second year in office — and the results amounted to a resounding endorsement.

Fueled by Lee's sustained personal popularity, the Democratic Party demonstrated nationwide dominance in the quadrennial contest. Polling by domestic research firm Realmeter indicated that Lee's approval rating has held steady at roughly 60 percent in recent months.

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