South Korea's Democratic Party captured 12 local chief seats in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions during the June 3, 2022 elections [1].
This shift marks a significant departure from historical voting patterns in the southeast. The region has long been a stronghold for conservative candidates, making the Democratic Party's gains a sign of evolving political sentiment in the provinces.
The party's performance represents a sharp increase in influence compared to previous cycles. Four years prior to the 2022 vote, the Democratic Party held only one such seat in the same region [1].
In addition to the overall local chief wins, the party captured seven of the 16 district mayor and county chief positions [1]. This expansion of power included victories in four specific areas within Gyeongnam: Namhae, Tongyeong, Geoje, and Gimhae [1].
Reporter Oh Tae-in of YTN said that the traditional formula for the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions — which are typically strongly conservative — was greatly shaken during the June 3 local elections.
Oh said the Democratic Party won mayoral seats in both Busan and Ulsan, while also producing 12 winners in the local government head elections [2]. These results indicate a broadening of the party's appeal beyond its traditional urban and liberal bases into the more conservative heartlands of the south.
“The Democratic Party won 12 local chief seats in the region.”
The results of the 2022 local elections suggest a weakening of the conservative monopoly over the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region. By flipping multiple municipal seats and winning key mayoral positions, the Democratic Party has demonstrated that it can compete in traditionally hostile territory, potentially shifting the national political balance toward a more competitive multi-regional landscape.
