"Will it be another term, or a handover?"
Depending on the results of the June 3 local elections, the fates of 12 incumbent heads of local governments who ran in the race will diverge. Those confirmed elected will immediately begin administrative work with an eye to the ninth popularly elected term, while those defeated will be tasked with handing over duties to the new chiefs by June 30.
According to the Local Autonomy Act on the 3rd, chiefs who ran in the election and were suspended from duty will return to their posts from the 4th, the day after Election Day, fulfill their responsibilities as metropolitan and provincial governors through June 30, the end of the eighth popularly elected term, and hand over duties to the winners.
◇ Last-minute stump speeches move to "areas with heavy foot traffic"
With the final vote looming to decide whether they will remain as governors or return to private life, incumbent chiefs staged last-minute stump speeches in parts of their districts where people gather.
Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party candidate for Seoul mayor, launched his final stump speech at Gwanghwamun Square and canvassed across Jongno to Dongdaemun. He toured downtown until midnight, engaging with citizens and appealing for support.
Rival Chong Won-o, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Seoul mayor, held a full-force rally with party leaders on the evening of the 2nd at Cheonggye Plaza, then carried out late-night stump speeches in areas where support is relatively weak, including Nonhyeon in Gangnam, Cheonho in Gangdong, and parts of Songpa.
Park Heong-joon, the incumbent Busan mayor and People Power Party candidate, began the 2nd by greeting commuters in Gijang County, then visited markets in Geumjeong and Dongnae districts to ask for support. He wrapped up his final rally in the Jeonpo-dong area.
Chun Jae-soo, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Busan mayor, toured five locations including Yeongdo and Saha in Busan, then chose Buk District, his political home base, as the site of his final rally. He said, "I will get Busan, which is standing still, to run with vigor."
◇ Incheon focuses on Guwoll Rodeo, Gangwon on Chuncheon… all-out push in key areas
Yoo Jeong-bok, the incumbent Incheon mayor and People Power Party candidate, and Park Chan-dae, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Incheon mayor, held a "mass rally" on the 2nd at Guwoll Rodeo Square. Guwoll Rodeo Street is considered one of the busiest areas in the city, with the Incheon Bus Terminal, Lotte Department Store Incheon branch, NewCore Outlet Incheon branch, and Arts Center Station on Incheon Line 1.
Kim Jin-tae, the People Power Party candidate seeking reelection as Gangwon governor, focused on capturing votes in Chuncheon that day. Woo Sang-ho, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Gangwon governor, mounted an all-out campaign traversing Gangwon east to west, from Gangneung, Pyeongchang, Yeongwol, and Wonju to Oni Intersection in Chuncheon.
Kim Kwan-young, the incumbent North Jeolla governor running as an independent, began a livelihood tour with a "convenience store part-time job" and wrapped up his campaigning with a live broadcast on his YouTube channel, "Kim Kwan-young TV," scheduled for 9 p.m. At the rally site of rival Lee Won-taek, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, floor leader Han Byung-do of the Democratic Party of Korea joined to appeal for support.
◇ Intensive targeting of swing battlegrounds in South Gyeongsang and Chungcheong
In South Gyeongsang, where a contest between a former and a sitting governor is unfolding, a head-to-head showdown played out in Changwon. Of the 2,775,000 or so eligible voters in the province's 18 cities and counties, Changwon accounts for more than 30% (about 858,000), making it a key battleground seen as decisive to the election's outcome.
Candidates for North Chungcheong governor mounted last-minute all-out pushes in Cheongju, effectively the capital of the province. Kim Young-hwan, the incumbent governor and People Power Party candidate, said, "Please protect North Chungcheong's future with your precious vote," while Shin Yong-han, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, appealed for support by saying, "I will not be an uncommunicative governor who lords over residents, but a servant who works with and serves the people of the province."
In South Chungcheong, rival candidates took to the streets in Cheonan for last-minute stump speeches. Kim Tae-heum, the incumbent governor and People Power Party candidate, toured Cheonan and Asan that day to appeal for support. Park Soo-hyun, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, also sought support that day, starting with a press conference at the South Chungcheong Provincial Government and then touring Gongju, Seosan, Dangjin, Asan, and Cheonan.
◇ Campaigning banned on the 3rd… candidates to wait at home or at their camps for results
With campaigning banned on the 3rd, candidates are expected to stay at home or at their campaign offices and wait for the exit poll results and final tallies.
According to the National Election Commission, ballot counting will begin around 6:20 p.m. on the 3rd, Election Day, and the first results will be released around 7:30 p.m. In areas where the gap between candidates is large, the outlines of the winners could emerge as early as around midnight. However, tight races where the vote difference is small may need to be watched until the early morning of the 4th.
◇ Ultra-tight races fuel escalation in lawsuits and complaints… aftershocks possible even after victory
Initially viewed as favorable to the ruling camp, these June 3 local elections turned into razor-thin contests as the campaign progressed and opposition candidates rapidly closed the polling gap. As the race intensified, clashes between candidates escalated into legal complaints.
Political circles in the regions say dealing with lawsuits and countersuits is likely to be one of the key tasks for the winners. That is because if National Election Commission probes or investigations by law enforcement lead to court battles, the possibility of by-elections cannot be ruled out.