South Korea's ruling Democratic Party swept most seats in local elections but failed to flip the crucial Seoul mayoral seat, official results showed on Thursday, in a sign that voters sought to keep a check on its power.
The vote was seen as an early referendum on President Lee Jae Myung's first year in office. He took power after months of political upheaval triggered by his conservative predecessor's declaration of martial law.
While Lee's party won most major races, incumbent conservative mayor Oh Se-hoon narrowly retained Seoul, defeating the Democratic Party's rising star Chong Won-o in a close contest.
"This election is a victory for common sense," Oh said, adding that South Koreans "have left Seoul as the last safety net of democracy to prevent (the country) from tilting completely to one side".
About 50 per cent of the country's population resides in Seoul and its surrounding metropolitan area.
Analysts said the failure by Lee's ally to flip Seoul may suggest an undercurrent of discontent with his liberal party, even though general support for the PPP has collapsed.
Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, said the Seoul defeat suggested that centrist voters may have become dissatisfied with the Lee administration.
Lee said the government would "humbly accept the will of the people" and work with newly elected municipal governments regardless of political affiliation.
The Seoul mayoral seat draws extra scrutiny because of the capital's outsized economic, cultural and political weight, said Byunghwan Son, director of George Mason University's Korean Studies Center.
"Since the election of former president Lee Myung-bak, who was a highly visible Seoul mayor, the position has been widely considered a major stepping stone for future presidential hopefuls," he said.
The National Election Commission apologised after 14 Seoul polling stations ran out of ballot papers in an unprecedented mishap blamed on a failure to anticipate turnout.
Lee ordered an investigation into the ballot shortage, condemning "a flaw that is difficult to accept".
Lee was elected president in June 2025 after six months of political turmoil triggered by his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law in December 2024 before being impeached and removed from office.
Yoon's PPP remains divided over the episode. Its popularity has collapsed, and it suffered a crushing defeat in the local elections - a stark reversal from the landslide victory it secured four years ago.
PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok expressed his "sincere apologies" for what he described as a "disappointing" result.
- AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
