Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, has conceded defeat. His announcement came after a dramatic turnaround in the election results, which shifted just 13 hours after the polls closed.
On the morning of June 4, Jung stated at his campaign office, "I will humbly accept the citizens' choice," adding, "I was lacking. Everything is my fault." He expressed gratitude to his fellow candidates and congratulated Oh Se-hoon, his opponent.
Jung also thanked his supporters, saying, "I will not forget the warm hearts you showed me, the warm hands you held on the streets, and the unwavering support you provided until the end."
Lee Jeong-heon, the chief spokesperson for Jung's campaign, noted, "The Seoul mayoral election was fiercely contested, and the counting is not yet fully complete, but we believe the overall trend has been determined."
Following Jung's concession, Oh Se-hoon is expected to make a statement. With his victory appearing increasingly likely, he is on track to become the first mayor of Seoul to serve five terms.
Meanwhile, the election was marred by a significant incident where a shortage of ballots temporarily halted voting in districts such as Songpa. This led to discussions within the People Power Party about a possible rerun, but the election commission announced that no rerun would take place.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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