Democratic candidate sweeps Gangwon's four major cities; Samcheok in the southeast, Cheorwon longing for peace, draw attention
Woo Sang-ho, the Democratic Party candidate for governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, defeated People Power Party candidate Kim Jin-tae with a final vote share of 51.8 percent to 48.2 percent — but the geographic footprint of his victory was smaller than his opponent's.
Wins in Chuncheon, Wonju, Gangneung, Donghae and Sokcho — the province's five most populous cities — proved decisive.
Measured by land area, Woo carried the 2nd-, 7th-, 8th-, 11th-, 12th-, 13th-, 17th- and 18th-largest municipalities among Gangwon Province's 18 cities and counties, while Kim took the 1st-, 3rd-, 4th-, 5th-, 6th-, 9th-, 10th-, 14th-, 15th- and 16th-largest. Color a map of Gangwon Province in the two parties' colors and the red would cover more ground than the blue.
All four of Gangwon Province's major cities — Chuncheon, Wonju, Gangneung and Donghae — went to Woo, and Democratic Party candidates also won the mayoral races in each of them. In Sokcho, the province's fifth-largest city, the People Power Party won the mayoral race, but because the Democratic Party's approval rating for governor was higher there, warnings have been raised that the re-elected mayor should never grow complacent.
Woo won in Chuncheon 54.84 to 45.15, Wonju 55.88 to 44.11, Gangneung 50.46 to 49.53, Donghae 50.82 to 49.17, Sokcho 50.65 to 49.34, Inje-gun 50.38 to 49.61, Yanggu-gun 50.07 to 49.92 and Cheorwon-gun 53.96 to 46.03 percent.
He lost, however, in Samcheok 45.93 to 54.06, Taebaek 49.40 to 50.59, Jeongseon-gun 49.36 to 50.63, Goseong-gun 46.49 to 53.50, Yangyang-gun 48.37 to 51.62, Hongcheon-gun 46.92 to 53.07, Hoengseong-gun 47.42 to 52.57, Yeongwol-gun 48.42 to 51.57, Pyeongchang-gun 48.96 to 51.03 and Hwacheon-gun 49.95 to 50.04 percent.
Particularly notable is Samcheok, at the southeastern tip of Gangwon Province. Just like Cheorwon — Woo's hometown at the province's northwestern edge — Samcheok holds considerable potential, yet residents feel the provincial government's attention has not reached them adequately, leaving accumulated grievances. Even so, the 46 percent support Woo received there is widely read as a signal that voters, while disappointed in the past, are willing to give him a chance.
Cheorwon has long been marked by Cold War-era confrontation, historically giving little support to the Democratic Party and seeing little of the tangible benefits of peace. This time, voters there chose a Democratic governor while electing a People Power Party county chief — a split that underscores the need for Woo to demonstrate concretely that peace delivers real gains.
Governor-elect Woo said Thursday that he would "embrace even those who did not support me and lead Gangwon Province through change."
abc@heraldcorp.com
