DPK Cheers, but Stays Cautious; Silence in the People Power Party as It Sees an Edge Only in North Gyeongsang [June 3 Public Sentiment Chooses]

As the countdown ended and the exit poll results for the June 3 local elections lit up the TV screens, the DPK's vote-counting room erupted in cheers. By contrast, the People Power Party's room sank into silence. The results showed that the DPK was projected to lead in 11 of the country's 16 metropolitan and provincial races, while the People Power Party was ahead in only one, North Gyeongsang Province. Even so, leaders of both parties were seen watching the situation with heavy expressions. Tension is expected to hang over both rooms through the night, as four metropolitan and provincial races were still too close to call and key by-election battlegrounds, including Pyeongtaek-eul, Gyeonggi constituency and Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency, were also tight.
■ DPK cheers over leads in 11 races
At 6 p.m. on the 3rd, when exit poll results from the three terrestrial broadcasters — KBS, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), and Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) — were released, the DPK's vote-counting room in the main conference hall of the National Assembly Members' Office Building filled with cheers.
The DPK had already assessed the race for the 16 metropolitan and provincial chief posts as highly favorable. It had classified six regions — Seoul, Busan, Ulsan, South Gyeongsang, Daegu, and North Jeolla — as battlegrounds, and judged the remaining areas, except North Gyeongsang Province, as areas where it was leading: Gyeonggi Province, Incheon Metropolitan City, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, Daejeon, Chungcheongnam-do, North Chungcheong Province, Gangwon Province, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, South Jeolla Province (Jeonnam), and Gwangju Metropolitan City. Many lawmakers had gathered, expecting the exit polls to favor the DPK.
As the results showed the DPK in the lead, cheers and applause broke out across the room. Still, party leader Jung Chung-rae and floor leader Han Byung-do kept a cautious stance. They appeared tense, even clasping their hands together.
However, when the exit poll for the Daegu mayoral race came out as a close contest, the applause died down and voices of disappointment could be heard. Sighs also followed when Kim Yong-nam, the DPK candidate, was shown to be trailing in the Pyeongtaek-eul, Gyeonggi constituency by-election, where he was expected to be in a tight race with Cho Kuk of the Rebuilding Korea Party and Yu Eui-dong of the People Power Party.
There was a sigh of relief when the results showed Lee Won-taek slightly ahead in the race for governor of North Jeolla Province, where he is facing off against independent candidate Kim Kwan-young.
Situation room chief Lee Yeon-hee said, "These forecast poll results confirm public sentiment that supports Lee Jae Myung, who gets things done, and helps stabilize state affairs." She added, "Even in the Yeongnam region, close races are unfolding, but in the end, I hope the public sentiment there, which supports Lee Jae Myung's efforts to stabilize state affairs, will be confirmed and that the final count will also deliver good results."
■ Silence fills the People Power Party room
At the People Power Party's vote-counting room set up at its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, only a quiet silence hung in the air. Although the election was being fought from a difficult position, expectations had risen as more battlegrounds emerged late in the local election campaign. But on election day, there was little sign of energy, with People Power Party lawmakers only slowly taking their seats in the room.
Once the countdown began, however, party leader Jang Dong-hyeok stared silently at the TV screen with a stiff expression. The moment the exit poll results were announced, the room fell completely silent. Party officials kept their faces frozen, no one spoke, and only sighs could be heard. Even when news came that Lee Cheol-woo, the People Power Party candidate for governor of North Gyeongsang Province, was projected to finish first, there was no reaction, only dry swallowing. The People Power Party had classified two areas — Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province — as favorable, and eight as battlegrounds, but as the results fell short of those expectations, it could not hide its disappointment. After remaining silent for more than 40 minutes after the exit poll announcement, Jang left the vote-counting room.
Floor leader Song Eon-seok said in a KBS interview, "If we can win in three or four of the 14 by-election districts, that would be a very good result."
haeram@fnnews.com Lee Hae-ram, Song Ji-won, Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter