Minor parties such as the Progressive Party, the Justice Party, and the Reform Party failed to make their presence felt in the 6·3 local elections and by- and special elections. Analysis holds that the limits of small parties became even clearer as voters rallied around the two major parties in a local election that saw the second-highest turnout on record.

As of the count on the 4th, the Progressive Party fielded candidates in 3 of the 16 metropolitan/provincial chief executive races (Gyeonggi·North Jeolla·Jeonnam-Gwangju) but all recorded single-digit vote shares. Lee Jong-uk, the candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Mayor, polled in the 3% range; Baek Seung-jae, the North Jeolla governor candidate, tallied 1.7%; and Hong Seong-gyu, the Progressive Party candidate for Gyeonggi governor, ended at 0.68%. Earlier, Ulsan mayoral candidate Kim Jong-hun unified his candidacy with Democratic Party candidate Kim Sang-uk, and South Gyeongsang governor candidate Jeon Hee-young withdrew after declaring support for Democratic Party candidate Kim Kyung-soo.

In 12 basic-level local government head races where it fielded candidates, it also failed to elect anyone. Park Moon-ok, the Progressive Party candidate for head of Dong District in Ulsan, posted 41.87%, coming behind People Power Party candidate Chun Ki-ok at 44.07%. The Progressive Party won seven metropolitan/provincial council seats and 34 basic-level council seats in this local election.

Kim Jae-yeon, the Progressive Party standing representative, wrote on Facebook that “the efforts of the Progressive Party to complete the historic tasks of settling the legacy of the insurrection and carrying out sweeping social reform will continue unchanged.” Kim ran in the Pyeongtaek B by-election for National Assembly in Gyeonggi and won 2.95% of the vote.

Justice Party Seoul mayoral candidate Kwon Young-guk finished in the 1% range, and Kang Eun-mi, candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Mayor, won 3.85%. The Justice Party saw all two of its basic-level head candidates and both of its metropolitan/provincial chief executive candidates lose, while it elected six basic-level councilors.

The Reform Party fielded candidates in 7 of the 16 metropolitan/provincial chief executive races, but all were defeated. Kim Jeong-cheol, the Reform Party Seoul mayoral candidate, recorded 0.82%, and Cho Eung-cheon, a two-term former lawmaker who ran for Gyeonggi governor, garnered only 4.32%.