RESULTS OF BY-ELECTIONS

[Anchor Lead]

Along with the presidential election, by-elections were also held in five constituencies yesterday. Candidates from the People Power Party were elected in four of them. We have the details.

[Pkg]

Following former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yon’s resignation from a parliamentary seat, by-election was held in Jongno-gu District, Seoul. Choe Jae-hyeong who had dropped out of the People Power Party’s presidential primary was elected, defeating Kim Yeong-jong, an independent candidate and an ex-head of the Jongno-gu District Office. This is the first time since 2008 a conservative party has won in Jongno.

[Soundbite] Choe Jae-hyeong(Electee in Jongno-gu Dist., Seoul) : "I will listen intently to the voices of the Jongno people and bring concrete changes to the district. I will become an honest, trusted politician."

PPP candidates beat independent rivals and sealed their victories in two constituencies where representatives from the Democratic Party had been convicted to have their elections nullified. The Democratic Party did not put up candidates there. In Anseong, Gyeonggi-do Province, former three-term lawmaker Kim Hak-yong scored a victory, rising from his previous defeat in the 2020 parliamentary elections. In Sangdang, Cheongju of Chungcheongbuk-do Province, former governor Chung Woo-taik secured a parliamentary seat in Wednesday’s by-election

[Soundbite] Chung Woo-taik(Electee in Cheongju Sangdang-gu Dist.) : "I will return the favor to Sangdang and its residents by all means. I promise to work harder as a trustworthy lawmaker who received your support."

Independent candidate Lim Byeong-heon won the Jung/Nam-gu district in Daegu where the People Power Party’s Kwak Sang-do had stepped down. In Seocho-gap, the only constituency where both rival parties fielded candidates, Cho Eun-hee of the People Power Party scored a landslide victory over her ruling party competitor. Cho was the head of the Seocho-gu District Office. In the by-elections, the People Power Party added four parliamentary seats. However, it is predicted to have little impact, as the main opposition party still holds far fewer parliamentary seats than the Democratic Party. The electees began their terms today.