2026 Incheon By-Elections: Key Candidates Kim Nam-jun and Song Young-gil Announced by Democratic Party
Daniel Kim Views
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The Democratic Party on April 23 nominated former Blue House spokesperson Kim Nam-jun for the Incheon Gyeyang-eul by-election and former party leader Song Young-gil for Incheon Yeonsu-gap. Both contests will be held alongside the June 3 local elections.
The party said it made the decision at a closed-door Supreme Council meeting that afternoon.
Gyeyang-eul was President Lee Jae-myung’s constituency; his candidacy prompted the by-election.
Kim, a close aide to the president, entered public service in 2014 when Lee, then mayor of Seongnam, appointed him city spokesperson. He later served as press secretary to the Gyeonggi governor, chief aide to a member of the National Assembly, director of political affairs for the Democratic Party leader, chief of the Presidential Secretariat’s First Office, and Blue House spokesperson.
Kang told reporters after the Supreme Council meeting that Kim deeply understands the president’s governing philosophy and that, having assisted Lee during his time as a lawmaker, Kim has strong local knowledge of Gyeyang-eul.
Yeonsu-gap is the constituency that Park Chan-dae, the party’s Incheon mayoral candidate, represented for three terms; his run for mayor triggered that by-election.
Song first won the Gyeyang-eul seat in the 2000 parliamentary election (16th National Assembly) and went on to represent the area through the 21st National Assembly, winning five terms. He will now seek a sixth term in Yeonsu-gap.
Song faced allegations of distributing cash envelopes and accepting illegal political funds during the 2021 Democratic Party convention but was ultimately acquitted. He ran for Seoul mayor in 2022 and was defeated.
Kang described Yeonsu-gap as a difficult district for the Democratic Party and a key strategic area they must defend, saying the party placed heavyweight candidates there for that reason.
The Democratic Party said it will soon announce strategic nominees for the remaining by-election districts.
Reporter Bin Jae-wook binjaewook2@viva100.com
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