Lee Jun-seok, an ousted former leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), won his first-ever parliamentary seat in the general elections Wednesday, the official vote count showed.
With more than 76 percent of the vote counted, Lee of the newly launched New Reform Party was leading his opponent, Kong Young-woon of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), 43.2 percent to 39.9 percent, according to the National Election Commission.
Lee was behind Kong at the start, but outstripped him as the ballots were counted.
Kong conceded defeat.
“I will be a sincere politician,” Lee said. “I don’t think the general election is over. We have only passed one milestone … We plan to reorganize the party starting tomorrow to find ways to reform local politics.”
Lee also vowed to turn his constituency into a more developed city.
Lee quit the PPP in December over disagreement with the PPP’s mainstream faction of loyalists to President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Lee created the New Reform Party with former Prime Minister Lee Na
k-yon who left the DP. But Lee Nak-yon retracted his decision to join Lee, only 11 days after the merger.
The former PPP leader ran unsuccessfully for the National Assembly three times in Seoul’s northern district of Nowon.
Source: Yonhap News Agency