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Source: Yonhap News

With eight months remaining until the June 3, 2025 local elections, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has shifted into full campaign mode. As the first nationwide election since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration, the DPK is focusing its strategy on retaking key cities such as Seoul and Busan, aiming to rebuild its base in local governments.

According to political sources on October 1, the DPK has set its sights on securing all 17 metropolitan mayor and governor posts across the country. In the 2022 local elections, the party managed to win only five of the 17, falling far short of expectations. Party leaders now see next year’s race as a crucial test of their ability to restore influence over local administrations.

DPK leader Jung Chung-rae underscored the stakes at a recent joint meeting with city and provincial party chairs, declaring, “Next year’s local elections will be a decisive turning point for the success of the Lee Jae-myung government. We must secure victory to lay the foundation for that success.”

In Seoul, senior party official Jun Hyun-hee and lawmaker Park Joo-min have emerged as potential mayoral candidates, positioning themselves against incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon. Both have criticized Oh’s “Han River Bus” policy, which encountered breakdowns just days after launch. Jun wrote on social media that Oh should “admit failure and apologize for wasting taxpayers’ money.”

Park Joo-min has gone further, confirming his intent to run. Speaking on YTN Radio, he said, “I plan to officially announce my candidacy by late October or November. I felt it was my duty to step up for the lives of citizens.” He accused Oh of running “a city administration for himself, not for the people,” pledging to build “a Seoul full of energy and vitality.”

In Busan, former Oceans and Fisheries Minister Jeon Jae-soo is widely expected to be the DPK’s candidate. As the only sitting Democratic lawmaker from the city and a former cabinet member, Jeon is seen as a heavyweight with symbolic significance.

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) is also bracing to defend its incumbents in the two cities. Bae Hyun-jin, head of the PPP’s Seoul chapter, told CBS Radio that the coming elections “will not be easy,” emphasizing the need to “humbly persuade citizens step by step.”

Internally, the PPP has appointed veteran lawmaker Na Kyung-won as head of its local election planning committee to consolidate preparations. Incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is expected to seek a fifth term, while Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon is preparing to run for a third term. Park recently took aim at the DPK on social media, accusing it of undermining parliamentary rules. “The National Assembly Act requires governance through consultation and agreement between negotiating blocs,” Park wrote, adding, “Being the majority does not mean you can do whatever you want.”