Learn Korean: Korean Local Elections and Politics

Helpful? Recommend it so other learners can find it.
Korean Reading Practice

‘3선 성동구청장’ 내세운 정원오…정작 성동구는 ‘몰표...

Date: June 07, 2026

Introduction

This article discusses the results of a local election in Seoul's Seongdong-gu district, where voters made surprising choices across different candidates. A long-serving district office head ran for mayor but failed to secure consistent support from his own constituents. The reading explores how different neighborhoods within the same district voted differently based on their local characteristics and priorities.

Vocabulary

Korean Romanization Meaning Example
지방선거 jibangseongeo local election 6월에 지방선거가 있었어요.There was a local election in June.
후보 hubo candidate 그 후보는 경험이 많아요.That candidate has a lot of experience.
표심 pyosim voter sentiment/preference 주민들의 표심이 중요해요.The residents' voting preference is important.
무기 mugi weapon; asset/advantage 그의 경력이 가장 큰 무기였어요.His career was his biggest asset.
유권자 yuquonja voter; eligible voter 유권자들이 투표했어요.The voters cast their ballots.
투표율 twhyoeyul voter turnout 투표율이 높았어요.The voter turnout was high.
지역 jiyeok area; region; district 그 지역은 조용해요.That area is quiet.
재개발 jaegaebal redevelopment 재개발 계획이 있어요.There is a redevelopment plan.
주거지 jugeoji residential area 주거지가 깨끗해요.The residential area is clean.
선택하다 seontaekhada to choose; to select 주민들이 그 후보를 선택했어요.Residents chose that candidate.
특징 teukjing characteristic; feature 그 지역의 특징이 뭐예요?What is that area's characteristic?
평가 pyeongga evaluation; assessment 전문가의 평가가 좋아요.The expert's assessment is positive.

Reading Text

최근 서울시장 선거가 끝났는데, 성동구에서는 흥미로운 결과가 나왔어요.

A recent Seoul mayoral election produced interesting results in Seongdong-gu district.

한 후보자는 3선 구청장으로서 오랫동안 일해온 경험을 강조하며 출마했어요.

One candidate emphasized his experience working as a three-term district office head.

하지만 같은 지역의 주민들도 시장 선거에서는 다른 후보를 선택한 사람들이 많았어요.

However, many residents from the same area chose a different candidate in the mayoral election.

성수동과 옥수동 같은 지역에서는 그 구청장이 아닌 다른 후보가 더 많은 표를 받았어요.

In areas like Seongsu-dong and Oksu-dong, a different candidate received more votes than that district office head.

전문가들은 이 결과를 분석해보니 지역의 특징이 중요했다고 평가했어요.

When experts analyzed these results, they found that the characteristics of each area were important.

왕십리와 마장 같은 주거지역은 구청장 후보를 지지했지만, 재개발이 진행되는 성수동 지역은 다른 후보를 선택했어요.

Residential areas like Wangsimni and Majang supported the district office head candidate, but Seongsu-dong, where redevelopment is happening, chose a different candidate.

이것은 같은 구 안에서도 지역마다 주민들의 필요와 관심사가 다르다는 것을 보여주는 사례예요.

This shows that even within the same district, different neighborhoods have different needs and interests.

Grammar Points

-(으)로서 as (a role/status)

Attached to a noun to indicate a role, status, or capacity. '-(으)로서' means 'as (a role/status)'.

📖 한 후보자는 3선 구청장으로서 오랫동안 일해온 경험을 강조하며 출마했어요. One candidate ran for office emphasizing their experience of working for a long time as a three-term district mayor.

✏️ 선생님으로서 학생들에게 최선을 다해야 해요. As a teacher, I must do my best for my students.

마다 every / each

Attached to a noun to mean 'every' or 'each'. It indicates that something applies to each individual item in a group.

📖 이것은 같은 구 안에서도 지역마다 주민들의 필요와 관심사가 다르다는 것을 보여주는 사례예요. This is a case that shows that even within the same district, the needs and interests of residents differ from area to area.

✏️ 사람마다 좋아하는 음식이 달라요. Every person has different food preferences.

Cultural Notes

In Korea, local elections (지방선거) are held every four years and are considered important indicators of national political sentiment. These elections determine not just mayors and governors, but also district office heads (구청장) and provincial legislators. Korean voters often split their votes across different races—voting for one party's candidate for mayor while choosing another party's candidate for district office—which reflects their nuanced evaluation of individual candidates' qualifications and local issues. This practice, called "split voting" (표 갈라치기), is common in Korean politics and shows that voters carefully consider each position separately rather than voting straight party tickets.

Source: 네이버 뉴스 | Original Article
🎴 Learn this article's 12 words Practice as flashcards →

📝 Comprehension Questions

Write your own answer first — then see others' and the model answer.

Q1

What was the main advantage that the district office head candidate used in his campaign for mayor?

💬 0 answers

Be the first to answer ✍️

🔒 Submit your answer to reveal others'
Q2

Did the voters in Seongdong-gu vote consistently for the same candidates across both the district and mayoral elections?

💬 0 answers

Be the first to answer ✍️

🔒 Submit your answer to reveal others'
Q3

Which areas of Seongdong-gu supported the district office head candidate, and which areas supported the other mayoral candidate?

💬 0 answers

Be the first to answer ✍️

🔒 Submit your answer to reveal others'
Q4

According to experts, what factor explains why different neighborhoods voted differently?

💬 0 answers

Be the first to answer ✍️

🔒 Submit your answer to reveal others'
Q5

What was the voter turnout in Seongdong-gu compared to the national average?

💬 0 answers

Be the first to answer ✍️

🔒 Submit your answer to reveal others'

Comments (0)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *