2026 Local Elections: Key Candidates for 9 By-Elections Revealed – Who Will Prevail?

Translation result The People Power Party’s Nomination Committee said 25 individuals have applied to run in nine by-elections that will be held alongside the June 3 local elections. Notable applicants include former presidential chief of staff Jeong Jin-seok, former Korea Communications Commission chair Lee Jin-sook, and former Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Park Min-sik.

The committee accepted applications from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and then released the list of applicants. Contests look most crowded in Ulsan Nam-gap, where four candidates applied; Gyeonggi Hanam-gap, which drew six; and Chungnam’s Gongju–Buyeo–Cheongyang district, with seven applicants—setting up competitive primaries.

A by-election will be held in Dalseong County, Daegu, after Daegu mayoral candidate Chu Kyung-ho resigned his National Assembly seat. Two people filed for that race: Lee Jin-sook, who was cut from the Daegu mayoral primary, and Eom Gi-yeon, the People Power Party’s women’s committee chair for Jungseong-dong.

In Busan Buk-gap, where expelled former party figure Han Dong-hoon declared an independent bid, two people sought the party nomination, including Park Min-sik and former KBS reporter Lee Young-pung.

Four candidates applied in conservative-leaning Ulsan Nam-gap: Kim Tae-gyu (former KCC vice chair and current district party chair), Councilor Lee Jeong-hoon of Ulsan Nam-gu, former Liberty Korea Party youth supreme committee candidate Kim Jun-gyo, and attorney Choi Geon.

Seven people applied in Chungnam’s Gongju–Buyeo–Cheongyang constituency. They include Jeong Jin-seok, a five-term lawmaker who served as deputy speaker of the National Assembly and later as Chief of Staff to President Yoon Suk-yeol; Yun Yong-geun, who served as party media spokesman under Jang Dong-hyuk and is chair of the Gyeonggi Seongnam Jungwon district party; Kim Hyuk-jong, former chief of staff to the Chungnam governor; So Jeong-im, deputy chair of the People Power Party’s Finance Committee; Oh Byung-ju, a former deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Office; Yun Min-a, a former official in the Prime Minister’s Office; and Lee Choong-hee, former chair of Gongju’s National Unification Advisory Council.

Six candidates applied in Gyeonggi Hanam-gap. They include former lawmaker Lee Yong, who faced Democratic Party candidate Chu Mi-ae in the last general election; Kim Ki-yoon, vice chair of the People Power Party’s Legal Advisory Committee; former lawmaker Kim Hwang-sik; former lawmaker Yoo Seong-geun; writer Jeong Dong-hee; and one applicant who requested anonymity.

In Incheon Yeonsu-gap, two applicants filed, including district party chair Jung Seung-yeon. In Incheon Gyeyang-eul, one person submitted a closed application on the 28th, and no further candidates have come forward.

Go Ki-cheol, chair of the Jeju provincial party, registered unopposed in Seogwipo, Jeju, while Ahn Tae-wook, a former Gwangju city party chair, registered unopposed in Gwangju Gwangsan-eul.

The Nomination Committee will begin interviews on May 1, review documents alongside interview results, and then finalize its slate. The party intends to complete all by-election nominations by May 5.

Separately, in additional nominations for metropolitan offices, party media spokesman Lee Min-seong filed to run for Siheung mayor but later withdrew. No additional candidates registered for the Jeonju mayoral race in North Jeolla.