Mayoral candidates Chong Won-o and Oh Se-hoon traveled across Seoul on Tuesday in a final effort to win support before the election [1].
The outcome of the race will determine the leadership of South Korea's capital and serve as a critical indicator of public sentiment toward the current national administration.
Chong Won-o, representing the ruling Democratic Party, spent the day holding rallies and meetings in various districts [1, 2]. Chong has focused his platform on urban development and social welfare. He said, "We will turn Seoul into a global city comparable to New York" [3].
In addition to global prestige, Chong has targeted the city's housing market. He said, "We need to address the housing crisis for young people" [4]. This focus follows his previous efforts to unveil expanded support plans for young renters [5].
Oh Se-hoon, the candidate for the opposition People Power Party, also crisscrossed the city to engage voters [1, 2]. Oh has framed the mayoral race as a broader political struggle against the national government. He said, "The June 3 local elections will serve as a referendum to keep the Lee Jae Myung administration in check" [3].
Both candidates focused their final hours on persuading undecided voters as the countdown to the polls reached 13 hours [1]. The activity took place with less than 24 hours remaining before polls open on June 3, 2026 [1, 6].
The candidates' final movements reflect a tight race where local issues, such as real estate policy and housing, intersect with national political tensions [3, 5].
“"We will turn Seoul into a global city comparable to New York."”
The Seoul mayoral race is functioning as a proxy battle between the ruling Democratic Party and the opposition People Power Party. By framing the election as a referendum on the Lee Jae Myung administration, the opposition is attempting to turn local governance into a national mandate, while the ruling party is relying on specific urban development and housing pledges to maintain its hold on the capital.
