Seven Former Aides Enter the Race on a 'Stable Government' Platform... A Driving Force for the Lee Jae Myung Administration in Its Second Year in Power [Public Sentiment Chooses on June 3]

On the 3rd, attention is focused on the results of former Cheong Wa Dae officials from the Lee Jae Myung administration who are running in the 9th Nationwide Local Elections and by-elections for members of the National Assembly. Exit polls by the three terrestrial broadcasters — Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), and Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) — projected a neck-and-neck race in the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency by-election between former Cheong Wa Dae Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning Ha Jeong-woo and independent candidate Han Dong-hoon. If a large number of Cheong Wa Dae-backed candidates are elected, observers say it could give added momentum to President Lee Jae-myung's governance in his second year in office.
According to political circles, a total of seven former Cheong Wa Dae officials are running in this election. In the local elections, former Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Woo Sang-ho is running for governor of Gangwon State, former Secretary to the President for Political Affairs Kim Byung-wook is running for mayor of Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province, and former administrative officer Son Hwa-jeong from the Office of the Secretary to the President for National Unity is running for mayor of Yeongjong District, Incheon.
In the by-elections for National Assembly seats, former Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning Ha is running in the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency, former presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon in the Incheon Gyeyang-eul constituency, former spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo in Asan Eul, South Chungcheong Province, and former Senior Secretary for Digital Communication with the Public Kim Nam-kuk in Ansan Gap, Gyeonggi Province.
The most closely watched race is in the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency. Ha, who previously served as the Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning, a post newly created by President Lee to advance his vision of making South Korea a top-three AI nation, made a surprise entry into this by-election. With the race against Han expected to be extremely close, the result is likely to become the symbolic battleground of this election.
If Ha wins, it would show that a former key Cheong Wa Dae aide can remain competitive in Busan, a region known for its conservative leanings. It would also confirm the political reach of the Lee Jae Myung administration's AI and advanced-industry policy agenda. On the other hand, if Han wins, it could be seen as a setback to the ruling camp's push to mobilize former Cheong Wa Dae figures, which is why political circles are closely watching the final count. According to the exit polls by the three terrestrial broadcasters, Ha leads the Busan Buk-gu-gap by-election with 42.6 percent, while Han has 41.6 percent, putting the race well within the margin of error.
The Gangwon governor race also drew attention. Woo, a former four-term lawmaker, competed against incumbent Governor Kim Jin-tae, and the exit polls from the three terrestrial broadcasters showed Woo at 51.3 percent and Kim at 48.7 percent, another contest within the margin of error.
Interest is also centered on the results for former spokesperson Kim Nam-joon and former spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo, both of whom were once considered President Lee's voice. Kim inherited the president's former district, while Jeon took over the district of Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik. The results for Kim Byung-wook, a member of the original Group of Seven and a close Lee ally, as well as Kim Nam-kuk, another Group of Seven figure, are also drawing attention.
Strong performances by former Cheong Wa Dae officials are seen as meaningful because they could expand the Lee Jae Myung administration's governing momentum. For President Lee, now in his second year in office, if aides who share his governing philosophy and policy direction are placed in the National Assembly and local governments, coordination between the ruling party and local governments is expected to become even stronger in carrying out major state tasks.
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter