SEOUL — South Koreans voted in local elections on June 2, 2026, for 16 mayoral and provincial gubernatorial posts and 14 National Assembly by-elections. Polls opened at 6 a.m. and closed at 6 p.m. across approximately 14,300 polling stations.
As of 10 a.m., voter turnout stood at 11%, according to the election commission. The elections followed the removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose December 2024 martial law declaration led to his impeachment and a February 2026 conviction for rebellion. Lee Jae Myung won a snap election after Yoon’s ouster and entered the local contests with approval ratings above 60%.
Twelve of the 16 local executive posts were previously held by the conservative People Power Party (PPP), which has faced internal divisions since Yoon’s impeachment. Earlier surveys suggested the Democratic Party (DP) could win as many as 15 races, but newer polls indicated opposition or independent candidates were gaining ground in five to seven contests.
In Seoul, the marquee race pitted DP candidate Chong Won-o against incumbent PPP Mayor Oh Se-hoon. Oh Se-hoon said, “Our country would be safer when the rival forces keep each other in check than one side controlling every things. Please, leave Seoul, the last stronghold, in our hands.”
Choi Jin, director of the Seoul-based Institute of Presidential Leadership, said a strong DP showing required winning at least 12 of the 16 races. He added that the party must also carry Seoul or “the Lee government would suffer a tremendous blow.”
Jeong Han-Wool, director of the Korean People Research Institute, said, “The conservatives’ support base has been fractured and weakened in the wake of Yoon’s impeachment, while the liberals’ support base has grown stronger. Considering that, results of the elections will determine whether their dominance would prolong for a considerable time.”