June 2, 2010 (Wed.) The 5th Nationwide Simultaneous Local Elections

The 5th simultaneous national local elections held on June 2, 2010, included eight different kinds of elections (Five different kinds on Jeju Island). They included Local elections for heads and council members of gwangyeok city and Provinces and municipal governments, and education-related elections for superintendent and members of the board of education. The elections were considered a litmus test for the incumbent Lee Myung-bak administration which was launched two years ago. Ruling and opposition parties engaged in intensive competition.
Qualified overseas Koreans were able to cast a vote and run for office. In addition, under the Mandatory Women Nomination, which was introduced to provide women with more political opportunities, each party had to nominate at least one female candidate per constituency in the local constituency election for council members of gwangyeok city and Provinces and municipal governments. Candidates running in the superintendent election or the election of heads of gwangyeok city and Provinces and municipal governments were able to publish and sell a handbook containing their election pledge, which included candidates’ detailed plans to keep their promises. They were also able to make and distribute a pledge book. At the center of the campaign were two controversial issues: the four major rivers project and a debate on free school meals.
In the governor elections the Grand National Party won 6, the Democratic Party 7 and the Advancement Unification Party 1 province. Two independent candidates were elected as well. In the election of the head of municipal government, the Grand National Party won in 82 constituencies and the Democratic Party took hold of 92. The Democratic Party won more seats from the elections for council members of gwangyeok city and Provinces, while the Grand National Party gained more municipal government council member seats.