[Breaking] Cho Kuk leads tight three-way race in Pyeongtaek by-election: exit poll

Cho Kuk, chair of the Rebuilding Korea Party, was projected to narrowly win a National Assembly seat in Pyeongtaek B, edging out rivals from both major parties in a three-way race, a joint exit poll showed Wednesday shortly after polling stations closed at 6 p.m.

The poll showed Cho with 31.1 percent support, followed by main opposition People Power Party candidate Yoo Eui-dong at 30.6 percent and ruling Democratic Party of Korea candidate Kim Yong-nam at 30.3 percent.

The exit poll covered 595 polling stations nationwide Wednesday and was supplemented by telephone surveys of 28,500 respondents. It was conducted by the Korea Election Pool, a body comprising representatives of the Korean Broadcasters Association and broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS.

Cho rose to national prominence during former President Moon Jae-in’s presidency, serving as a senior presidential aide before being appointed justice minister in 2019.

However, he stepped down weeks after taking office amid a scandal involving him and his family.

Cho founded the Rebuilding Korea Party ahead of the 2024 general election, framing it as an alternative force within the liberal camp at a time when the Democratic Party was led by current President Lee Jae Myung.

If confirmed, Cho’s reentry into the National Assembly could revive discussions about closer cooperation between his party and the ruling Democratic Party.

It could also renew debate over the balance of influence between factions aligned with President Lee Jae Myung and former President Moon within the liberal bloc.

If elected, Cho would become the Rebuilding Korea Party’s only constituency-based member of the National Assembly.

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