June election victory to buoy Lee administration
2026.06.03 22:34
| President Lee Jae Myung attends a Cabinet meeting held in Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday. (Yonhap) |
As Wednesday's exit poll suggested a landslide win for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea in the local and parliamentary by-elections, all eyes are on what ramifications the outcome would have on the incumbent Lee Jae Myung administration.
The liberal bloc has won the last two major elections ― the 2024 general election and 2025 presidential election ― and Wednesday's predicted local election wins would only extend the party's dominance in central and local governments and the parliament.
On the other hand, exit poll results for the conservative People Power Party indicate a continued struggle to win over the public as the party still reels from the repercussions of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's 2024 martial law declaration.
Experts noted that the election win would likely boost Lee's confidence in his policy push.
"The ruling party already dominates the National Assembly, so a landslide victory would not change that," said Michael Breen, a UK journalist and consultant who is the author of "The New Koreans."
"But it would give President Lee and the Democratic Party of Korea a powerful psychological boost and increase confidence in the bureaucracy as he pursues his domestic program."
Regardless of the outcome of the parliamentary by-election, the Democratic Party already occupies the majority in the 300-seat National Assembly.
President Lee, who led the 2024 victory as then-chair of the liberal party, was elected president the following year in the aftermath of the Yoon-led political crisis. His approval rating has remained above 60 percent for most of his first year in office.
Mason Richey, professor of political science at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, also said the resounding victory will allow Lee and the ruling camp to remain unabated.
"A big victory for the Democratic Party would provide a springboard for the continuation of Lee's domestic and foreign policy agendas," he said, adding the victory "would further solidify Lee's control over the Democratic Party for the foreseeable future."
Richey added that the party's victories in key battlegrounds such as mayoral posts in Seoul and Busan, while leaving the opposition with only its traditional strongholds in the southeastern region, will put the ruling camp in its comfort zone, while isolating the opposition.
"The Democratic Party taking the Seoul mayor's race would be a nice feather in the cap for (the party)," Richey said.
"If Kim Boo-kyum (of the Democratic Party of Korea) wins the Daegu mayor's race, that would be a major blow to the People Power Party. The Democratic Party also needs to defend most of its natural National Assembly by-election seats in order to feel good coming out of the election."
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