Cho Kuk, the Rebuilding Korea Party candidate, said on Jun. 4 about the Jun. 3 by-election for National Assembly member in Pyeongtaek B, Gyeonggi, "It is all my shortcomings and all my responsibility."

Cho Kuk, the Rebuilding Korea Party candidate running in the Pyeongtaek-eul National Assembly by-election, acknowledges defeat at his campaign office in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, on the 4th./Courtesy of News1

Visiting the Pyeongtaek campaign office at about 2:50 a.m. that day, Cho said, "The top priority in the June election was achieving 'Zero People Power,'" adding, "There were meaningful results nationwide, but in Pyeongtaek we did not complete the mission."

He went on, "Pyeongtaek residents embraced me as a warm neighbor, but I did not live up to expectations," adding, "I humbly accept the election result."

Cho also said, "This result is the failure of me, Cho Kuk; it does not mean your vision and values are wrong," and added, "I will always walk with you so that those hopes are surely realized."

At 3:33 a.m. that day, with 98.25% of ballots counted, Cho had 27.38%, placing third. The gap with Yoo Ui-dong of the People Power Party, the winner with 34.64%, was 7.26 percentage points (p).

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