Gyeyang B in Incheon is a constituency where a parliamentary by-election will be held during the June 3 local elections. It became vacant after President Lee Jae-myung won re-election and then took office as president. Since 2004, four of the five lawmakers elected there have been from the Democratic Party and other progressive blocs.
Ahead of the by-election, former Democratic Party of Korea leader Song Young-gil, a five-term lawmaker, and former Blue House Spokesperson Kim Nam-joon, a close aide to the president, are being mentioned as strong contenders. By contrast, no strong contender has yet emerged from the People Power Party.
◇ "A heavyweight politician" "the president's person" "neither is a native"
At 10:30 a.m. on the 27th, at the agricultural products sales event in front of Gyeyang District Office in Incheon. Several Democratic Party of Korea district mayor and district council candidates appeared, but campaign events related to the parliamentary election were not noticeable.
Among residents, former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil had high name recognition. It appears to be thanks to serving five terms in Gyeyang B. Shin, 65, who runs an underwear shop at Gyeyangsan Traditional Market, said, "Because the former leader worked in this area for a long time, many people knew him even before he entered the National Assembly."
A man in his 50s surnamed Lee, who ran a shoe store for 25 years at Gyeyangsan Traditional Market, said, "While serving five terms in Gyeyang B, the former leader would visit the market once or twice a week to ask how we were doing," adding, "A heavyweight politician needs to come so this tucked-away neighborhood called Gyeyang can get some spotlight."
Some residents pinned their hopes on former Blue House Spokesperson Kim Nam-joon. A person surnamed Kim, who has run a liquor store near the market for 28 years, said, "Having already served five terms and running again is greedy," referring to the former leader. Kim added, "If there is someone coming from the Blue House (the former Spokesperson), doesn't that mean this is the person the president is backing?" and said, "I think it's better to give that person support."
Meanwhile, some residents held negative views of both the former leader and the former Spokesperson. Jeong Tae-young, 64, who introduced himself as "a Gyeyang native," said, "The former leader left the area when running for Seoul mayor (during the 2022 local elections)." He continued, "These days, the person the Democratic Party of Korea says it will send down (the former Spokesperson) also does not seem like a local, and it doesn't look good that a nonlocal is coming in." Jeong said, "Gyeyang B is a 'Democratic Party stronghold,' but because politicians rooted in the area are not becoming lawmakers, development is slower than in surrounding areas such as Geomdan, Bupyeong, and Cheongna."
◇ "Whoever the Democratic Party of Korea fields will win"… Song Young-gil leads in polls
In recent polls in Gyeyang B, the former leader Song continues to post high support. In a survey commissioned by Straight News and conducted by Jowon C&I on the 7th and 8th of 501 men and women aged 18 and older living in Gyeyang B, Incheon, in "suitability for Gyeyang B lawmaker in the by-election," Song Young-gil recorded 40.2%, Yoon Hyung-seon 22.7%, and Kim Nam-joon 14.8%. Among Democratic Party of Korea supporters, Song Young-gil had 61.0%, Kim Nam-joon 21.9%, and Yoon Hyung-seon 3.9%. Yoon, a former physician, ran as the People Power Party candidate in the 2022 by-election and lost to President Lee Jae-myung. The survey was conducted via wireless automated response (ARS). The margin of error is ±4.4 percentage points (p) at the 95% confidence level. The response rate was 7.1%. For details, refer to the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission website.
Most Gyeyang District residents the reporter met expected the Democratic Party of Korea candidate to win. Residents explained that "because Gyeyang District is where people from Honam settled after moving to the capital area in the past, the Democratic Party of Korea has strong support."
Cho Hee-su, 63, who runs a bookstore in Gyeyang District, said, "Whoever the Democratic Party of Korea fields in this by-election, if the former leader runs, they will win by a large margin, and if the former Spokesperson runs, they will win by a small margin." A man in his 70s surnamed Kwon, who runs a bakery at Gyesan Traditional Market, also said, "Here, people vote for the Democratic Party of Korea anyway. I'll just focus on my business." In the 22nd general election, which was recently held for the National Assembly, President Lee Jae-myung defeated former Minister Won Hee-ryong by 54.12% to 45.45%.