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PPP Rep. Joo Ho-young to not run for Daegu mayor after court sides with party over his exclusion

Published: 23 Apr. 2026, 17:48

Rep. Joo Ho-young, a six-term lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party, speaks in the National Assembly briefing room in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on April 23. [YONHAP]

Rep. Joo Ho-young, a six-term lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), announced Thursday he will not run for mayor of the traditional conservative stronghold of Daegu after a high court dismissed his injunction request to suspend the party's decision to exclude him from the primary.

His announcement came nearly a month after the PPP excluded the heavyweight from the nomination process, prompting him to file for a court injunction. The Seoul High Court dismissed his injunction request on Wednesday, upholding an earlier ruling by a district court.

"I believed that continued disputes over my candidacy would do more harm than good to the election," Joo said during a press conference at the National Assembly as he announced his decision not to run in the June 3 election.

He also ruled out the possibility of running as an independent.

The ruling Democratic Party named former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum as its candidate early on, seeking to hold the upper hand in the elections by fielding one of its heavyweights in Daegu, a long-unwavering stronghold of the conservative bloc.

“I did not take Kim's growing momentum lightly," Joo said, expressing concerns over whether the PPP's current primary lineup would be strong enough to counter his momentum.

The Daegu mayoral race has drawn nationwide attention after Kim entered, raising expectations of a tight contest in the PPP's longtime stronghold.

Last week, the PPP chose two finalists from six preliminary candidates, Reps. Choo Kyung-ho and Yoo Yeong-ha to advance to the final round of the nomination process.

Yonhap