Gyeongbuk governor candidate Oh Jung-ki faces likely defeat in his seventh election bid

Oh Jung-ki, the Democratic Party's candidate for governor of Gyeongbuk Province, is likely to face defeat in his seventh electoral attempt, failing once again to overcome the region's strong conservative leanings. As of 10 p.m. on June 3, with 18.41% of votes counted, Oh trailed significantly behind the incumbent, Lee Chul-woo of the People Power Party.

Official tallies from the National Election Commission show Oh securing 35.47% of the vote, compared to Lee's 64.52%. A joint exit poll by major broadcasters KBS, MBC, and SBS also predicted a similar outcome, with Oh receiving 30.3% support against Lee's 69.7%.

Oh had previously achieved his highest vote share in the 2018 local elections, garnering 34% as a Democratic Party candidate for Gyeongbuk governor. He has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the current election results. During the campaign, Oh positioned himself as a direct channel of communication with the central government and criticized the political landscape in Gyeongbuk, which has been dominated by the People Power Party for an extended period, arguing that a lack of competition hinders the province's future development.

Oh, who previously served as a senior administrative official in the Blue House during the Moon Jae-in administration, has made multiple attempts to win office in Gyeongbuk. This includes two bids for governor and four attempts to secure a National Assembly seat, all of which have resulted in losses, extending his streak of electoral defeats in the region.