On Wednesday, South Korea’s center-left governing party achieved a significant victory in local elections. However, this success was marred by a notable defeat in the capital city of Seoul. The race for the mayorship of Seoul holds great significance, viewed as the most influential elected position after the presidency.

Prior to the elections, surveys and exit polls consistently indicated that the candidate from President Lee Jae Myung’s Democratic Party would triumph over the conservative incumbent in Seoul. The Democratic Party, which already has a majority in parliament, had aimed to use these local elections to bolster its influence and sustain President Lee’s political momentum, which began with his presidential victory a year ago.

“Seoul citizens have once again firmly established the fundamental principle of democracy: checks and balances,” stated Oh Se-hoon, the re-elected mayor of Seoul, on Thursday. “You have kept Seoul as the final safeguard of democracy, ensuring that South Korea does not tilt entirely to one side.” Democratic Party candidate Chong Won-o acknowledged his defeat.

As of Thursday, with nearly all votes tallied, the Democratic Party secured 12 out of 16 positions for metropolitan mayors and provincial governors. This included a victory in Gyeonggi Province, surrounding Seoul, and in Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city and typically a conservative area. The People Power Party claimed the remaining four contests, including the mayorship in Daegu and two governor positions in the southeastern Gyeongsang region, which remains its stronghold.

In the preceding local elections four years ago, the People Power Party had dominated most races. However, its influence eroded following a political crisis when its then-leader and former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in late 2024. He was subsequently removed from office and sentenced to life imprisonment on insurrection charges.