In the Chungju mayoral race in North Chungcheong, People Power Party candidate Lee Dong-seok (40) won after an ultra-tight contest decided by 124 votes. He is the youngest basic local government head in North Chungcheong history.

On the 4th, according to the National Election Commission count (with 99.96% tallied), Lee secured 52,945 votes (50.05%), edging out Democratic Party candidate Maeng Jeong-seop (65), who received 52,821 votes (49.94%), by just 124 votes to become Chungju mayor.

Initially, the race was expected to favor Maeng, a former head of the Democratic Party's Chungju district committee with a solid local base who was also seen as benefiting from the ruling-party premium.

In the ballot count for the 9th local elections that began the previous day, Lee trailed from the start into the late stages, then began narrowing the gap at dawn and ultimately pulled off a come-from-behind victory.

Born in 1985, Lee is a former MBN reporter who went on to serve as an administrator at the presidential office and as a policy aide to the Minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. After defeating veteran figures in their 50s and 60s in the party primary to reach the general election, he prevailed in a fiercely contested head-to-head race.

He also broke the record of People Power Party lawmaker Eom Tae-young, who was elected Jecheon mayor at age 44 in the 3rd local elections in 2002, and, being four years younger, claimed the title of ‘the youngest-ever local government head in North Chungcheong’.

This election was held without an incumbency premium for the first time in 12 years due to the three-term limit on former mayor Cho Gil-hyung and his early resignation. Since the launch of locally elected autonomy in 1995, Chungju has been regarded as a representative ‘conservative stronghold’ where conservative-leaning candidates have mostly won.

Lee said, “I will create a city administration that first looks after the lives of citizens, that proves promises through action, and that runs on young, clean energy,” adding, “I will begin by changing the day-to-day lives of citizens, from worries about hospitals and jobs to concerns for children and older adults.”

His key pledges include establishing the Chungju Tourism Corporation, rotating specialist medical services, breakfast support for elementary, middle, and high school students, attracting the semiconductor parts industry, and expanding free public transportation.