Lee Won-taeg, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for North Jeolla governor, won the June 3 local elections, beating incumbent independent candidate Kim Kwan-young. Even pre-vote polls and the three major broadcasters' exit polls just before the ballot count made it hard to predict a winner. But in the actual count, Lee pulled ahead of Kim by nearly 10 percentage points.
Lee won the North Jeolla gubernatorial race with 51.22% (473,436 votes). Kim took 41.78% (386,152 votes). The gap between the two was 9.44 percentage points. On the previous day, the three major broadcasters released exit poll results projecting a close race, with Lee and Kim at 48.5% and 46.3%, respectively.
Lee is from Gimje, North Jeolla, and graduated from Jeonbuk National University after attending Iri Middle School in Iksan and Namseong High School. A former student activist, he served as Secretary-General of Citizens' Action 21 in the 2000s. He entered politics as a party official with the Uri Party. He later served as chief of staff to former Jeonju Mayor Song Ha-jin in 2008, chief of staff to former North Jeolla Governor Song Ha-jin, director of external cooperation for North Jeolla Province, administrative officer in the presidential chief of staff's office under Moon Jae-in, and vice governor for political affairs of North Jeolla Province.
He entered the National Assembly through the 21st general election held in 2020. He ran for and won the Gimje-Buan constituency, and also served in the 22nd National Assembly, making him a two-term lawmaker.
Lee is also seen as a close aide to Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae. This led to turbulence during the nomination process. Earlier, Jung's leadership expelled Kim over a "taxi fare payment controversy." They then nominated Lee. After that, Lee was embroiled in allegations of a "meal expense cover-up." But the leadership concluded there was "no charge." Citing this, Kim questioned Lee's nomination process and even raised a "backroom nomination deal" allegation.
Amid this turmoil, polling trends moved against Lee. In various surveys, Lee trailed Kim within the margin of error. Lee's victory is interpreted as reflecting local sentiment toward the party leadership.
Lee said, "Now that the election is over, we will restore personal relationships so that the provincial administration can be run stably through inclusion and unity," adding, "The core direction of the ninth popularly elected provincial administration is an innovation plan for the system and operation of the administration based on the value of residents' sovereignty."