By-election: Three-Way Race Set for Gongju-Buyeo-Cheongyang Constituency

The Gongju-Buyeo-Cheongyang parliamentary by-election is shaping up to be a three-way race after candidate Kim Hyuk-jong was disqualified and cut from the People Power Party's nomination process. In protest of the decision, Kim Hyuk-jong declared his candidacy as an independent in Gongju, Chungnam, on the 13th. Kim previously served as chief of staff to Chungnam Governor Kim Tae-heum and as an aide to former lawmaker Chung Jin-suk.

Meanwhile, the possibility of former lawmaker Chung Jin-suk running under the People Power Party was briefly discussed but he ultimately decided not to participate.

For Democratic Party candidate Park Jeong-hyun, the mayor of Buyeo County, an interpretation of the law indicated he would need to resign 95 days before the election to be eligible to run in the by-election.