{"id":2206875,"date":"2024-10-22T17:56:10","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T08:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2206875"},"modified":"2024-10-22T17:56:10","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T08:56:10","slug":"why-the-results-of-south-koreas-by-elections-mask-growing-political-fissures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/10\/why-the-results-of-south-koreas-by-elections-mask-growing-political-fissures\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the results of South Korea\u2019s by-elections mask growing political fissures"},"content":{"rendered":"
South Korea\u2019s ruling and opposition parties split victories in local by-elections last week, in a series of races closely watched as a barometer of public sentiment.<\/span><\/p>\n While each side maintained control of their traditional strongholds, experts told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> that the elections exposed significant vulnerabilities for both major parties that could shape national politics in the coming years.<\/span><\/p>\n The elections marked the first major electoral test for both parties since the Democratic Party\u2019s (DP) dominant victory in the April parliamentary elections, and they unfolded against a backdrop of growing tensions between the ruling People\u2019s Power Party (PPP) leadership and the Yoon administration and mounting legal challenges facing opposition DP leader Lee Jae-myung.<\/span><\/p>\n The PPP successfully defended key positions in Busan’s Geumjeong District and Incheon’s Ganghwa County, despite the fact that President Yoon Suk-yeol’s approval rating plummeted to a record low of 22% amid scandals involving first lady Kim Keon-hee.<\/span><\/p>\n The DP also won two county chief positions in its southwestern strongholds in South Jeolla Province, but faced an unexpected challenge from progressive alternatives and failed to win a majority of the vote.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis election wasn’t just about holding territory. It was about managing risk,\u201d Rhee Jong-hoon, a senior consultant at Politics and Business Consulting, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>. \u201cThe PPP had to navigate the first lady risk, while the DP confronted the Lee Jae-myung risk. Both parties deployed maximum resources just to maintain the status quo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Political analysts said the muddled result means there\u2019s little incentive for either party to undertake major changes. But they noted that the risks both sides face in their respective strongholds could signal broader realignments that will sway nationwide elections in 2025 and 2027.<\/span><\/p>\n