Ulsan: The ruling Democratic Party (DP) candidate for Ulsan mayor announced on Sunday the suspension of his participation in a primary election with a minor party rival. This decision comes just days before critical elections, which are seen as an important political indicator for President Lee Jae Myung.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Rep. Kim Sang-wook of the DP, who is vying for the mayoral position in the southeastern industrial city known for hosting Hyundai Motor, had previously agreed with Kim Jong-hoon of the minor Progressive Party to select a unified candidate through a primary. Kim Sang-wook stated his concerns over the primary's integrity, citing "highly irregular patterns" in the poll results that suggested possible organized interference by an unspecified group.
Kim Sang-wook expressed that continuing with the primary under the current circumstances could lead to an undemocratic outcome, potentially undermining voters' rights. Despite this suspension, he emphasized his commitment to ongoing discussions with the Progressive Party to select a unified candidate, clarifying that his decision was not meant to dismiss or reject a joint candidacy.
In response, the Progressive Party denied the allegations, criticizing Kim's camp for unilaterally halting the primary process. The party insisted that the opinion poll was conducted in line with their agreement with the DP, stating they found no irregularities and had not been informed of any specific issues by Kim's team.
The upcoming elections on June 3 are seen as the first major nationwide evaluation of the Lee Jae Myung administration since it assumed office last June, following the ousting of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The DP, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, aims to secure victories by leveraging President Lee's strong approval ratings. These elections will include contests for 16 metropolitan mayors and provincial governors, as well as 227 lower-level administrative chief positions.