Ruling and opposition parties are preparing for the June 3 local elections, viewed as a gauge of public sentiment on political polarization following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid. The elections include parliamentary by-elections in over 10 constituencies and mark the first major test for President Lee Jae Myung's administration since June last year. The Democratic Party aims to bolster its mandate, while the People Power Party focuses on economic issues to rebound.
Reports from February 22, 2026, indicate that South Korea's ruling and opposition parties are intensifying preparations for the June 3 local elections, regarded as a key measure of public views on political polarization. The conservative camp remains unsettled after former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law imposition, ouster, and conviction for leading an insurrection.
The Democratic Party, having secured victories in last year's presidential election and the 2024 parliamentary elections, seeks another win to solidify its legislative power and advance its agenda. The People Power Party, which captured 12 of 17 municipalities in the 2022 local elections, aims to halt its defeats and protect strongholds like the capital against Democratic Party advances. The Democrats rally with calls to "completely end the insurrection" from Yoon's bid, while the People Power Party urges votes based on economic conditions and livelihoods.
A Gallup Korea poll on February 6 showed 44% favoring more Democratic Party candidates for the local elections, compared to 32% for the opposition—a 12 percentage point gap, up from 3 points in an October poll.
Dominant issues include potential municipal administrative mergers, the real estate market, and a recent court ruling sentencing Yoon to life imprisonment over the martial law attempt. Minor parties like the liberal Rebuilding Korea Party and the conservative Reform Party (or New Reform Party) aim to grow their influence. Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae proposed a merger with the Rebuilding Korea Party before the elections, but it was abandoned due to internal disagreements.
These elections will provide the first significant assessment of support for President Lee Jae Myung's administration policies since its inception last June.
