Progressive candidates projected to win in Greater Seoul area and Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang region; incumbents favored in 7 of 16 races
By Kim Yong-jae, The Herald Business
Exit polls from Wednesday's nationwide local elections showed progressive candidates leading in 11 of 16 regional superintendent of education races, with conservative candidates ahead in three and two districts too close to call.
The joint exit poll conducted by KBS, MBC and SBS projected progressive candidates leading in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Incheon, Busan, Ulsan, South Gyeongsang Province, South Jeolla Province-Gwangju, North Jeolla Province, South Chungcheong Province, Daejeon and Gangwon Province — 11 districts in all. Conservative candidates led in Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province and North Chungcheong Province. Sejong and Jeju were rated too close to call.
Progressive candidates swept the Greater Seoul area. In Seoul, progressive candidate Jeong Geun-sik led with 39.0 percent, 17.8 percentage points ahead of conservative candidate Jo Jeon-hyeok at 21.2 percent. In Gyeonggi Province, progressive Ahn Min-seok polled at 58.2 percent against conservative Im Tae-hee at 41.8 percent. In Incheon, progressive Do Seong-hun led with 37.1 percent to conservative Lee Dae-hyeong's 32.7 percent.
Progressive candidates also led across the Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang region. In Busan, progressive Kim Seok-jun polled at 49.6 percent, well outside the margin of error ahead of conservative Jeong Seung-yun at 34.0 percent. In Ulsan, progressive Jo Yong-sik led with 44.2 percent to conservative Kim Ju-hong's 32.0 percent. In South Gyeongsang Province, progressive Song Yeong-gi polled at 42.2 percent against conservative Kwon Sun-gi at 38.7 percent.
In South Jeolla Province-Gwangju, progressive candidate Kim Dae-jung led with 40.4 percent, while in North Jeolla Province, Cheon Ho-seong topped the poll at 56.2 percent. Progressive candidates also led in South Chungcheong Province, where Lee Byeong-do polled at 34.1 percent; in Daejeon, where Seong Gwang-jin polled at 33.2 percent; and in Gangwon Province, where Kang Sam-yeong led at 43.8 percent.
Conservative candidates led in three districts: Kang Eun-hee at 51.5 percent in Daegu, Im Jong-sik at 45.0 percent in North Gyeongsang Province and Yun Geon-yeong at 45.7 percent in North Chungcheong Province.
In Sejong, progressive Im Jeon-su polled at 35.1 percent against centrist-conservative Kang Mi-ae at 32.5 percent. In Jeju, progressive Ko Eui-suk led with 45.1 percent to conservative Kim Gwang-su's 42.0 percent, with both races rated competitive.
Incumbents appeared to benefit from a "incumbent premium" effect, with sitting superintendents projected to win in 7 of the 16 districts nationwide.
The seven incumbents leading in exit polls were Jeong Geun-sik in Seoul, Kang Eun-hee in Daegu, Kim Seok-jun in Busan, Im Jong-sik in North Gyeongsang Province, Yun Geon-yeong in North Chungcheong Province, Do Seong-hun in Incheon and Kim Dae-jung in South Jeolla Province-Gwangju.
Incumbents were projected to lose or face a change in political alignment in three districts: Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon Province and Jeju.
brunch@heraldcorp.com
