South Korea’s upcoming local elections are shaping up as a major political test for both the ruling Democratic Party and the fractured conservative opposition still reeling from the fallout of former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law scandal.
The June 3 elections for mayors and governors across South Korea’s 16 cities and provinces will be the first nationwide vote since President Lee Jae Myung took office following a snap presidential election last year.
The election was triggered after Yoon Suk Yeol, a member of the conservative People’s Power Party (PPP), was removed from power following his controversial declaration of martial law in 2024.
Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law shocked South Korea and triggered one of the country’s most severe political crises in decades.
The former president was later convicted of masterminding an insurrection and sentenced to life imprisonment in February. He also faces multiple additional criminal trials linked to abuse of power and constitutional violations.
Now, the political consequences of that crisis continue to reshape South Korea’s political landscape ahead of the highly significant South Korea local elections.
The ruling Democratic Party already controls both the presidency and parliament, giving President Lee substantial political influence.
A decisive victory in the local elections would further consolidate the Democrats’ dominance and potentially leave the opposition conservatives with their weakest national position in years.
Political analysts say the elections may become a referendum not only on Lee’s early presidency but also on whether South Korea’s conservative movement can recover from the damage caused by the martial law controversy.
The conservative PPP has struggled to rebuild public trust since Yoon’s downfall.
Internal divisions over how to address the martial law scandal have exposed deep fractures within the party, weakening its ability to present a unified challenge to the ruling Democrats.
Some conservatives argue the party must distance itself from Yoon and move forward quickly, while others continue defending parts of his political legacy.
The infighting has contributed to declining public support for the PPP at a critical moment.
According to a Gallup Korea survey conducted during the final week of April, the PPP’s approval rating stood at just 21 percent.
By contrast, the Democratic Party recorded support at 46 percent, while President Lee Jae Myung’s personal approval rating reached 64 percent.
Those numbers suggest the conservatives may face heavy losses despite currently controlling 12 of South Korea’s 16 local governments.
Many analysts now predict a landslide defeat for the PPP unless the party can rapidly restore voter confidence.
People’s Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok has attempted to shift the focus away from internal disputes and toward opposition against President Lee’s administration.
Jang, who had previously supported Yoon, acknowledged that conservative infighting had weakened the party’s connection with ordinary voters.
“In the end, when we fought among ourselves, we couldn’t pay attention to the lives of the people,” Jang said in an interview.
“Now what we need to show is how we can unite and properly keep the ruling party and the Lee Jae Myung administration in check, and thereby protect South Korea’s democracy and its future,” he added.
Jang’s comments reflect growing concern among conservatives that continued division could leave the party politically marginalized for years.
The Democratic Party, however, has framed the election very differently.
A spokesperson for the ruling party described the vote as an opportunity for voters to judge the “unresolved remnants of insurrection” while strengthening local governments committed to “real democracy.”
That messaging suggests Democrats intend to keep the martial law issue at the center of the campaign.
President Lee has entered the election season from a position of political strength.
His popularity has been boosted by strong performance in South Korea’s stock market, particularly gains linked to the country’s semiconductor and technology industries.
The administration has also received positive reviews for its response to the energy crisis that emerged following escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Rising energy prices and global supply disruptions created economic pressure across Asia, but Lee’s government has largely avoided major domestic instability.
Supporters credit the president with maintaining economic confidence while balancing foreign policy and energy security concerns.
Conservatives, however, accuse Lee of using his political power to shield himself from ongoing criminal investigations and legal challenges.
Lee has faced multiple legal controversies throughout his political career, although his supporters argue the cases are politically motivated.
Despite those accusations, public opinion currently appears to favor the ruling Democrats.
The collapse of conservative credibility following the martial law crisis has overshadowed many opposition attacks against the administration.
One of the most closely watched political figures in the election is former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon.
Han became a prominent critic of Yoon Suk Yeol after opposing the martial law declaration and eventually breaking ties with the former president.
His opposition to Yoon created intense conflict within the conservative camp and ultimately led to his expulsion from the PPP over allegations related to opinion manipulation.
Han is now running as an independent candidate in a parliamentary by-election in Busan’s Buk-A district, which will take place alongside the local elections.
The race has attracted national attention because it is viewed as a potential test of the future direction of South Korean conservatism.
Han faces both PPP and Democratic Party candidates in a competitive three-way contest.
In an interview with Reuters, Han accused the PPP leadership of prioritizing loyalty to Yoon supporters instead of rebuilding public trust.
He argued that a “small faction” within the party still controls its direction and prevents genuine reform.
Han said he hopes to eventually rebuild South Korea’s conservative movement and potentially return to the party in the future.
“The people have already crossed the sea of martial law,” Han said.
“The big problem is that conservative politics still has not crossed it,” he added.
Han argued that the PPP cannot effectively criticize President Lee while remaining tied to Yoon’s legacy.
“When we criticise them, the attack that comes back is, ‘Aren’t you the party that declared martial law?’” Han said.
“That weakens everything.”
His comments reflect a broader problem facing conservatives ahead of the South Korea local elections.
The martial law scandal has become politically toxic and continues to dominate public discussion whenever the opposition attempts to challenge the government.
Critics argue the conservatives have failed to fully acknowledge the seriousness of the constitutional crisis caused by Yoon’s actions.
Jang Dong-hyeok dismissed Han’s campaign as self-serving and accused him of contributing significantly to the party’s current problems.
Although Jang said he remained open to broader conservative unity, he specifically excluded Han from those efforts.
That public conflict illustrates the continuing fragmentation within the conservative movement.
Political analysts believe the Busan by-election could carry consequences far beyond a single parliamentary seat.
Shin Yul, a professor at Myongji University, said the race may determine whether a broader conservative realignment is possible.
If Han performs strongly, Shin said, it could signal public demand for a new conservative leadership less connected to the Yoon era.
A victory for Han could also weaken the Democratic Party’s narrative that the entire conservative movement should be associated with insurrection and anti-democratic behavior.
According to Shin, Han could send “a clear new message” to conservative voters if he succeeds.
The outcome may also shape Han’s own long-term political ambitions.
Some observers already view him as a possible future presidential candidate capable of rebuilding conservative credibility among moderate voters.
However, failure in Busan would likely strengthen the existing PPP leadership and weaken arguments for a major restructuring of the conservative bloc.
For the Democratic Party, the elections represent an opportunity to deepen political control at both national and regional levels.
Strong results would reinforce President Lee’s authority and provide greater coordination between central and local governments.
Such dominance could allow the ruling party to advance major policy initiatives with less resistance from conservative regional administrations.
At the same time, critics warn that overwhelming concentration of political power could weaken democratic balance and reduce institutional checks on the presidency.
Conservatives have increasingly framed the election as necessary to prevent excessive concentration of authority within the ruling party.
However, their ability to persuade voters may depend largely on whether they can convince the public that they have moved beyond the martial law crisis.
At present, many voters appear unconvinced.
The legacy of Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law declaration continues to cast a long shadow over South Korean politics, reshaping alliances, weakening old power structures, and redefining the country’s conservative movement.
As South Korea prepares for the June elections, the results may determine not only the balance of regional political power but also the future direction of the country’s democracy after one of its most turbulent political periods in recent history.
