Jung Chung-rae watches without visible reaction
Jang Dong-hyeok tears up at Chungcheong results
Jung Won-o camp erupts in cheers
Oh Se-hoon camp falls silent, sighs heard
The two major parties could not have looked more different as exit poll results from the June 3 local elections rolled in Wednesday evening.
The Democratic Party of Korea kept a generally calm atmosphere despite exit polls showing the party leading in 11 of 16 regional government head races, though bursts of cheering and applause broke out in pockets throughout the night.
At the People Power Party, the mood was heavy. Exit polls showed the party ahead in only one regional race — North Gyeongsang Province — and intermittent groans could be heard from the crowd.
Jung Chung-rae, the Democratic Party leader who served as overall standing campaign committee chair and directed the party's election effort, watched the exit poll announcement at the vote-counting situation room set up at the National Assembly without any visible change in expression, then left his seat about 10 minutes later.
Co-standing campaign committee chair Han Byung-do and other campaign leadership followed shortly after.
Lee Yeon-hee, the Democratic Party's central campaign committee situation room director and head of strategy, told reporters the results confirmed "public sentiment giving strength to President Lee Jae Myung's stable governance."
"Competitive races are unfolding in four Yeongnam constituencies, and the results ultimately confirmed that even voters in Yeongnam want to support President Lee's stable governance," she added. "We look forward to that sentiment being reflected in the final vote count."
At the campaign office of Jung Won-o, the Democratic Party's candidate in the Seoul mayoral race — widely seen as the biggest prize of the election — the room erupted in cheers and applause the moment the exit poll results appeared, with supporters shouting "Yes! There it is!"
The scene at the People Power Party's election situation room at its central headquarters in Yeouido stood in sharp contrast, as tension gripped the room when the exit poll results were announced.
Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, who served as standing campaign committee chair, stared at the screen with a stiff expression. Floor leader Song Eon-seog, co-campaign committee chair, and other leadership and officials maintained silence.
Even when results showed the party ahead in the North Gyeongsang gubernatorial race and in a competitive position in the Daegu mayoral race, there was little visible reaction.
Jang, who hails from South Chungcheong Province and put particular effort into the Chungcheong region during the campaign, briefly teared up when the Daejeon mayoral race was called in favor of the Democratic Party.
The atmosphere grew heavier still when National Assembly by-election races the party had hoped to win also appeared headed toward tight contests.
Jang left his seat roughly 40 minutes after reviewing all the exit poll results.
A similar mood prevailed at the eighth floor of Daewang Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the campaign office of People Power Party Seoul mayoral candidate Oh Se-hoon was set up.
The "fighting" chants that rang out as the exit poll countdown began gave way to silence, and sighs could be heard from supporters seated toward the back of the room.
Cho Eun-hee, the campaign's overall headquarters director, was seen covering her mouth with her hand.
The mood shifted abruptly, however, when reports emerged of a ballot shortage at polling stations in parts of Seoul.
The People Power Party's atmosphere quickly turned heated, with leadership sharply criticizing the National Election Commission for mismanaging the election and calling for a halt to the vote count and a re-vote.
The Democratic Party also moved swiftly, demanding that the commission ensure rigorous management of the counting process.
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