The exit poll results by the three terrestrial broadcasters and JTBC for the June 3 local elections and by-elections were broadly similar, but small differences appeared in the details.
In results released simultaneously at 6 p.m. on the 3rd, both the joint exit poll by the three terrestrial broadcasters and JTBC's projection survey expected a victory for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. In JTBC's projection, of the 16 metropolitan mayor and provincial governor posts, the Democratic Party of Korea was projected to take 10, People Power Party 1, with 5 in tossups. In the broadcasters' exit poll, the Democratic Party of Korea was projected to take 11, People Power Party 1, with 4 labeled as close races.
The eight areas where both JTBC and the three broadcasters projected a Democratic Party of Korea lead are Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Ulsan, Daejeon, Sejong, South Jeolla·Gwangju, and Jeju. In both the exit poll and the projection, these eight are considered solidly favorable to the Democratic Party of Korea. The one area where People Power Party led in both surveys is North Gyeongsang.
The remaining seven areas were classified as tossups or close races in one of the two surveys. In the broadcasters' exit poll, Busan, Daegu, Gangwon, and North Jeolla were close. In JTBC's projection, Daegu, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, North Jeolla, and South Gyeongsang were classified as tossups.
Daegu and North Jeolla were classified as close or tossup in both surveys. In the broadcasters' exit poll for the Daegu mayoral race, People Power Party candidate Choo Kyung-ho had 49.9% and Democratic Party candidate Kim Boo-kyum had 49.1%, while in JTBC's projection Choo had 49.2% and Kim had 49.7%.
In the North Jeolla governor race, the broadcasters' exit poll showed Democratic Party candidate Lee Won-taek at 48.5% and independent candidate Kim Kwan-young at 46.3%, while JTBC's projection had Lee at 50.9% and Kim at 44.6%.
In the Busan mayoral race, the broadcasters' exit poll showed Democratic Party candidate Chun Jae-soo at 50.2% and People Power Party candidate Park Heong-joon at 48.3%, a tight race. In JTBC's survey, Chun led by 9.5 percentage points, and the area was classified as leaning Democratic.
In the Gangwon governor race, the broadcasters' exit poll had Democratic Party candidate Woo Sang-ho at 51.3% and People Power Party candidate Kim Jin-tae at 48.7%, a 2.6-point nail-biter. By contrast, JTBC's projection had Woo at 56.9% and Kim at 43.1%, a wide gap.
Chungcheong was classified as a tossup only in JTBC's projection. In JTBC's projection for the North Chungcheong governor race, Democratic Party candidate Shin Yong-han had 52.2% and People Power Party candidate Kim Young-hwan had 47.8%, a 4.4-point tossup. In the South Chungcheong governor race, Democratic Party candidate Park Soo-hyun had 52.8% and People Power Party candidate Kim Tae-heum had 47.2%, a 5.6-point tossup. In the broadcasters' exit poll, both were classified as leaning Democratic.
In JTBC's projection, South Gyeongsang was also classified as a tossup. Democratic Party candidate Kim Kyeong-soo had 52.3% and People Power Party candidate Park Wan-su had 47.7%. In the broadcasters' exit poll, Kim led by close to 10 points, but JTBC's projection had it as a tight race.
In the by-elections held alongside the local elections, Busan Buk-gap and Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek-eul—races that drew attention with the entry of "potential presidential contenders"—were also too close to call.
In Busan Buk-gap, JTBC's survey had independent candidate Han Dong-hoon at 48.1% and Democratic Party candidate Ha Jung-woo at 37.6%, a wide gap. But in the broadcasters' survey, Ha had 42.6% and Han had 41.6%, a race within the margin of error.
In Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek-eul, JTBC's survey showed Democratic Party candidate Kim Yong-nam at 34.2% and Rebuilding Korea Party candidate Cho Kuk at 31.6%. In the broadcasters' survey, Cho had 31.1%, People Power Party candidate Yoo Ui-dong had 30.6%, and Kim had 30.3%, showing a three-way dead heat.