Park Il-ha Announces Dongjak Mayor Re-election Bid with Reform Party

Park Il-ha, the incumbent Dongjak District Mayor who was excluded from the People Power Party's nomination, announced he will switch parties to the Reform Party and once again run for Dongjak District Mayor.

Mayor Park stated he had initiated long-stalled redevelopment and reconstruction projects and vowed to build a futuristic city by completing the redevelopment of 900,000 pyeong. He explained his decision to run with the Reform Party, rather than as an independent, by citing policy alignment with party leader Lee Jun-seok and the potential for better citizen welfare through central government policy support. Mayor Park criticized, "The People Power Party abandoned me because of the misguided ambitions of a certain politician."

Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok criticized the People Power Party for making a rash decision to exclude Mayor Park. Lee hinted at the possibility of recruiting more individuals who have faced unfair treatment from the People Power Party. He dismissed the idea of a political alliance with the People Power Party, stating that discussing a unified candidacy would be premature and unrealistic when candidates such as Jo Eung-cheon and Yang Hyang-ja do not desire it.