Following his recent declaration of candidacy, the ruling Democratic Party unanimously nominated former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum as its sole candidate for Daegu mayor in the June 3 local elections, aiming to break the city's conservative dominance. Separately, a court rejected a People Power Party lawmaker's challenge to his nomination exclusion.
The Democratic Party's nomination committee selected Kim Boo-kyum unopposed on April 3. Committee chairperson Kim Yi-soo stated, "Kim symbolizes the DP's longstanding efforts to overcome regionalism," highlighting his qualifications from prior roles including prime minister (2021-2022), interior minister, and four-term lawmaker.
A native of nearby Sangju, Kim previously ran unsuccessfully for Daegu mayor in 2014 and won a parliamentary seat there in 2016. After declaring his bid last week, he told reporters, "We cannot unconditionally follow the party's stance," vowing to prioritize Daegu citizens' voices.
In the opposition People Power Party (PPP), a preliminary primary will proceed among six candidates after excluding six-term lawmaker Joo Ho-young and former Korea Communications Commission head Lee Jin-sook. The Seoul Southern District Court dismissed Joo's injunction, deeming it a party autonomy issue despite some procedural irregularities.
Joo expressed regret over the process's fairness and said he would respond carefully. The PPP warned of countermeasures if he runs independently.
Interest also focuses on Kim's second daughter, Yoon Se-in (formerly Kim Ji-soo), a former actress married into a prominent business family since 2015, who has aided past campaigns.
