Cho Kuk, leader of the minor progressive Rebuilding Korea Party, speaks to reporters at his campaign office in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, early Thursday after conceding defeat in the parliamentary by-election for the Pyeongtaek-B constituency. Yonhap

Cho Kuk, leader of the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP), failed in his bid to return to parliament in the by-election held alongside Wednesday's local elections, dealing a heavy blow to his political career.

According to the National Election Commission Thursday, main opposition People Power Party (PPP) candidate Yoo Ui-dong won the by-election for the Pyeongtaek-B constituency in Gyeonggi Province with 34.83 percent of the vote.

Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Kim Yong-nam came in second with 28.77 percent, while Cho came third with 27.24 percent.

Cho conceded defeat at his campaign office around 3 a.m. after Yoo's victory became certain.

"The top priority of this election was to realize a 'zero PPP' outcome. While meaningful progress was made nationwide, we failed to fulfill that mandate in Pyeongtaek. The responsibility lies entirely with me," Cho told reporters.

The defeat marked a setback in Cho's attempt to revive his political career after a jail term over a corruption scandal cost him his parliamentary seat in December 2024.

Political analysts said Cho's third-place finish behind both the PPP and DPK candidates could weaken his standing. During the campaign, the RKP party leader sought to position himself as a leading figure in the liberal bloc. Yet he ultimately finished behind the DPK candidate, a former conservative politician who joined the ruling party in 2025.

Observers speculated that Cho's negative campaigning against Kim may have undermined his appeal among liberal voters.

Yoo Ui-dong, the People Power Party candidate in the parliamentary by-election for the Pyeongtaek-B constituency, celebrates at his campaign office in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, after his victory became certain. Joint Press Corps

Source: Korea Times News