Chong Won-o, left, Seoul mayoral candidate for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and his wife Moon Hye-jung hold hands as they wave to supporters at Cheonggye Plaza, Seoul, Tuesday. Chong is leading Seoul mayoral race in exit polls. Yonhap

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is leading in the Seoul mayoral race in the June 3 local elections, according to exit polls, but faces too-close-to-call contests in Busan and Daegu against candidates of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP). A sweep of all three cities would deliver a commanding mandate for the Lee Jae Myung administration, though the tight margins in Busan and Daegu mean the final outcomes could still go either way.

For the Seoul mayoral race, Chong Won-o, a three-term Seongdong District head and DPK candidate, led the exit poll and is largely expected to be elected to lead the capital city with 51.4 percent of the vote, while incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was seeking reelection with the PPP, is predicted to gain approximately 46 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, JTBC's forecast placed Chong further ahead at 53.5 percent to Oh's 42.9 percent.

The exit poll was conducted by the Korea Election Pool, a joint forecasting committee formed by broadcasters KBS, SBS and MBC. The consortium surveyed voters at 615 polling stations nationwide and conducted a telephone poll of some 108,000 voters. Cable network JTBC has deployed artificial intelligence (AI)-powered election result forecasting. The joint poll showed the margin of error of 1.7 to 4.1 percentage points with a 95 percent confidence level.

The projected victory marks another milestone for Chong, elevating his political stature from Seoul district chief to mayor. Chong won three consecutive elections in 2014, 2018 and 2022 to serve as head of Seongdong District and emerged as a leading Seoul mayoral contender after the president publicly praised his administrative performance.

During his campaign, Chong pledged to expand housing and ease construction rules so that more people can find homes in Seoul. He also promised to expand public transportation, particularly subways, to enable shorter commuting times and boost the AI ecosystem by hosting the Global AI Hub and designating AI special zones.

The Seoul mayoral race was widely seen as a barometer of public sentiment toward the current administration. The position is the only ministerial-level post among metropolitan mayors and governors and is often regarded as a springboard for presidential ambitions — former President Lee Myung-bak served as Seoul mayor before winning the presidency. The post has also historically served as a counterbalance to the sitting administration.

Park Heong-joon, center, Busan mayoral candidate for the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), smiles while watching the exit poll result on television in his election camp in southern port city of Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap

For the Busan mayoral race, the exit poll shows Chun Jae-soo, former oceans minister and DPK lawmaker, with a slight lead in the polls at 50.2 percent, beating Park Heong-joon, the incumbent Busan mayor and candidate of the PPP, who gained 48.3 percent.

JTBC's prediction showed Chun is winning the race, gaining 53.9 percent of the vote, beating Park's 44.4 percent.

Source: Korea Times News