The Democratic Party won three of the four special-city mayoral races in Gyeonggi Province during the 2022 local elections [1].
These results are significant because special cities in Gyeonggi each have populations of approximately one million people [1]. The outcome reflects voter sentiment regarding urban development and the ability of local leaders to attract high-tech industries to these major hubs.
The Democratic Party candidates secured victories in Suwon, Hwaseong, and Goyang [1], [2]. In Goyang, Mayor Min Kyung-sun won by a margin of 24.5 percentage points over candidate Lee Dong-hwan [1]. Other winning candidates for the Democratic Party included Lee Jae-jun in Suwon and Jeong Myeong-geun in Hwaseong [1], [2].
Jeong Myeong-geun said he wants Hwaseong to become a city where anyone would want to live or move to, and a city that residents are proud to call home [1].
Meanwhile, the People Power Party maintained its hold on Seongnam [1], [2]. Lee Dong-hwan won the mayoral seat in that city [1], [2]. Reports said that the victory in Seongnam was influenced by regional factors, specifically its status as the hometown of President Lee Jae-myung [2].
Voters generally favored the incumbent mayors in the Democratic-led cities based on their track records of city growth and the successful attraction of advanced enterprises [2]. This trend suggests a preference for continuity in urban management across most of the Gyeonggi special-city region.
“The Democratic Party won three of the four special-city mayoral races in Gyeonggi Province.”
The concentration of power within the Democratic Party across three of the four Gyeonggi special cities indicates a strong regional mandate for their urban development strategies. However, the People Power Party's ability to hold Seongnam demonstrates that localized political identities and personal ties to national figures can still override broader regional trends.
