Yeouido 25 Hours — May 2, 2026
With the June 3 local elections just a month away, political tension is peaking as the ruling and opposition parties clash over the "Special Counsel Bill for Fabricated Prosecution." The People Power Party is ramping up for what looks like a "mini-general election" after closing nominations for 9 by-election districts, while the Democratic Party is busy fielding candidates like former Blue House Senior Secretary Ha Jung-woo. Meanwhile, the People Power Party is turning to veteran politicians like Chung Jin-suk and Park Min-shik to fill its candidate lineup.
Yeouido 25 Hours — May 2, 2026
Today's Political Headlines
Clash over "Fabricated Prosecution" — DP: "Restore Rule of Law" vs. PPP: "Judicial Coup"
- What's happening?: On May 1, the People Power Party (PPP) strongly protested the Democratic Party’s (DP) introduction of a special counsel bill targeting alleged "fabricated investigations and prosecutions" under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The PPP labeled the bill a move to "drop charges related to President Lee Jae-myung," calling it a betrayal of the people and a "robbery" that must be judged at the ballot box.
- Why it matters?: This standoff, occurring a month before the local elections, marks the start of a battle over campaign narratives. The DP is framing it as a way to correct prosecutorial overreach, while the PPP is framing it as "political retribution" to rally their conservative base.
By-Election Matchups Set in 7 Districts — Lee Kwang-jae vs. Lee Yong and Song Young-gil vs. Park Jong-jin
- What's happening?: Matchups for the 14 parliamentary by-elections, taking place alongside the June 3 local elections, have been finalized in 7 districts. Key races include Lee Kwang-jae (DP) vs. Lee Yong (PPP) in Hanam-gap, Gyeonggi, and Song Young-gil (DP) vs. Park Jong-jin (PPP) in Yeonsu-gap, Incheon.
- Why it matters?: These 14 vacancies, created by sitting lawmakers running for local office, are essentially a "mini-general election." Both parties are pouring resources in, as the results could shift the power balance in the National Assembly for the second half of the year.
PPP Closes Nominations for 9 By-Election Districts — Chung Jin-suk, Park Min-shik, and Lee Jin-sook Among Applicants
- What's happening?: The PPP accepted nominations for 9 by-election districts on April 30. Notable veterans and former officials like Chung Jin-suk, Park Min-shik, and Lee Jin-sook have submitted their applications.
- Why it matters?: While the PPP is reportedly struggling to find candidates in traditional strongholds like the Yeongnam region, high-profile party figures are stepping up to join the race directly.
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Ha Jung-woo Dons "Blue Jacket" for DP, While PPP Faces Candidate Shortage
- What's happening?: According to MBC, the number of by-election districts has grown to 14 due to mass resignations of lawmakers for the June local elections. While the DP has moved to field candidates like former Blue House Senior Secretary Ha Jung-woo and former lawmaker Jeon Eun-soo, analysis suggests the PPP is struggling to find candidates in some areas.
- Why it matters?: As the DP’s candidate lineup stabilizes, the PPP’s candidate shortage could directly impact their competitiveness, making the nomination results a key variable for the upcoming race.
National Assembly Updates
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Finance and Economy Committee Plenary — Public Hearing on "Strategy Export Financial Support Act": A public hearing was held on April 29 to discuss the enactment of legislation aimed at systemizing export financial support, gathering expert opinions.
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Upcoming By-Election Nominations — DP Honam Announcements Imminent: Attention is focused on the DP's delay in announcing candidates for the Honam region, their traditional stronghold. Announcements are expected soon.
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KF-21 Block II Air-to-Ground Production Delay Concerns: According to an SBS report, concerns have been raised regarding the difficulty of securing trillions of won annually due to overlapping production schedules for the Block I (air-to-air) and Block II (air-to-ground) versions. Discussions in the National Assembly's Defense Committee are expected.
Blue House and Government
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Presidential Meeting with Senior Secretaries (April 30): According to Newspim, President Lee Jae-myung presided over a meeting at the Blue House on the afternoon of April 30, where they discussed pending economic and livelihood issues.
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South Korea-Australia Foreign Ministers' Meeting (April 30): A meeting was held on the afternoon of April 30 to discuss security and economic cooperation. On the same day, the Second Vice Foreign Minister left for France to attend the G7 Development Ministers' Meeting.
Rivalry Between Parties
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"Fabricated Prosecution Special Counsel" Issues: The ruling Democratic Party argues it is a necessary special counsel to "rebuild the rule of law" by investigating alleged fabricated investigations under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The opposition PPP calls it a "political vendetta" and "judicial coup" aimed at clearing charges against President Lee Jae-myung, urging voters to cast their ballots accordingly.
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June 3 Local Election Nomination Race: The Democratic Party is strategically positioning high-profile candidates like Ha Jung-woo to defend and expand their seats. The PPP is countering by mobilizing veteran and former officials, though they continue to face candidate shortages in some regions.
Foreign Affairs and Security
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South Korean UN Ambassador Reaffirms "Peaceful Coexistence and Denuclearization" on the Korean Peninsula: According to the English edition of Yonhap News, South Korea’s chief representative to the UN reaffirmed Seoul’s commitment to peaceful coexistence and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula on May 1 (local time).
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North Korea's 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League (April 28–30): According to SPN Seoul Pyongyang News, the 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League was held in Pyongyang from April 28 to 30, focusing on strengthening youth organizations and ideological unity.
Upcoming Schedule
- May 3 (Sunday): Expected announcement of PPP by-election nomination results. The finalization of candidates like Chung Jin-suk, Park Min-shik, and Lee Jin-sook is expected to kickstart the formal election battle.
- Early to Mid-May: DP Honam by-election nomination announcements.
- June 3 (Wednesday): The 9th Nationwide Simultaneous Local Elections and parliamentary by-elections. 14 districts across the country will hold these "mini-general election" by-elections simultaneously.
Reporter's Perspective
The core of the political scene this week is the battle over the "Fabricated Prosecution Special Counsel" bill, just a month before the June 3 elections. The DP is clearly attempting to use this bill to push "prosecution reform" as a central campaign theme, while the PPP is aiming to rally their conservative base by framing it as "political retaliation." As the by-election matchups are finalized, the contrast between the DP’s focus on high-profile candidates and the PPP’s mobilization of veterans will serve as a test for the Lee Jae-myung administration's momentum for the second half of the year. The next one or two weeks—covering the conclusion of nominations and the parliamentary progress of the special counsel bill—will be the biggest factors influencing public sentiment.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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