South Korea June 3 Local Election Campaign Opens with 7,800 Candidates

The official campaign period opened for South Korea's June 3, 2026 local elections and 14 National Assembly by-election seats, with approximately 7,800 candidates registered. The elections are viewed as a major political barometer of the People Power Party's (PPP) capacity to recover following the Yoon Suk-yeol martial law and impeachment crisis. The ruling Democratic Party holds a commanding ~48% party support against the PPP's ~18%. The Democratic Party formally launched its election committee in May with floor leader Jung Cheong-rae as chair, vowing to 'uproot insurrection' referencing the December 2024 martial law.