South Korean President Lee Jae Myung faces his first electoral test a year into his term with local votes that could boost his party’s influence throughout the nation or show the limitations of his appeal as the main opposition party tries to rebuild itself.

Thousands of municipal council seats nationwide are up for grabs, but attention is likely to focus on 17 governor and mayoral races in South Korea’s biggest cities, including Seoul and Busan. Lee’s progressive Democratic Party won only five of those posts in the last local elections in 2022 compared with the conservative People Power Party’s haul of 12.

While the result won’t significantly impact dynamics in parliament, where Lee’s Democratic Party has a large majority, a clear ruling party victory would further symbolize the strength of Lee’s popularity.

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