Lee Bok-nam, 54, a four-term independent who joined the Cho Guk Innovation Party, won a seat in the "Ra" electoral district — covering Hyang, Maegok, Samsan, Jeojeon and Jungang-dong — to become the longest-serving member of the Suncheon City Council with a fifth term.
Lee topped the local election results in the district with 32.81 percent of the vote, or 7,736 ballots. The second- and third-place winners were Seo Seon-ran with 30.01 percent and Jeong Gwang-hyeon with 24.36 percent.
A lifelong resident of the city's original downtown, Lee first entered the council in 2010 as a proportional representative for the Democratic Labor Party. He went on to serve under the Unified Progressive Party banner before winning four consecutive terms as an independent, and joined the Cho Guk Innovation Party last year.
The race was a narrow one. A Democratic Party wave fueled by President Lee Jae-myung's high approval ratings meant Lee Bok-nam edged out Seo Seon-ran by just 660 votes in a nail-biting finish.
Lee has previously run for Suncheon City Council speaker as an independent but lost each time. He plans to try again when the council convenes for the first half of its term in July.
"I am grateful to the residents who have believed in and supported me," Lee said. "The Democratic Party holds the majority on the council, so winning the speakership will not be easy in practical terms, but I intend to run by building a coalition with minority parties."
Among those being mentioned as potential candidates for the first-half speaker election are Democratic Party members Lee Yeong-ran and Shin Hwa-cheol, both of whom secured third terms, as well as Lee Bok-nam from the Cho Guk Innovation Party and independent Jeong Hong-jun, also a third-term winner.
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