SEOUL, Apr 8 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party, suffered a crushing defeat in by-elections, for new mayors of the country’s two biggest cities, the Election Commission said, today.
Oh Se-hoon of the main conservative opposition People Power Party, won a landslide victory over Park Young-sun of the Democratic Party, 57.50 percent to 39.18 percent, in the by-election of the capital, Seoul.
In the by-election of the country’s southeastern port city of Busan, Park Heong-joon of the People Power Party defeated Kim Young-choon of the Democratic Party by a wider margin 62.67 percent to 34.42 percent.
Voter turnouts for Seoul and Busan reached 58.2 percent and 52.7 percent, respectively, topping 50 percent for the first time, in by-elections.
It marked the first victory of the conservative bloc in about five years, since the Democratic Party won nationwide elections, including general elections in 2016 and 2020, local elections in 2018, and the presidential election in 2017.– NNN-YONHAP