The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate for Ulsan mayor said Sunday he would suspend his participation in a primary with a minor party rival meant to choose a unified contender, just days before crucial elections widely seen as a political bellwether for President Lee Jae Myung. Rep. Kim Sang-wook of the DPK, who is running for mayor of the southeastern industrial city home to Hyundai Motor, had agreed with Kim Jong-hoon of the minor Progressive Party to select a unified candidate through a primary. “We have learned that the poll showed highly irregular patterns beyond what would normally be expected, with signs suggesting possible organized intervention by a certain group,” Kim said in a statement. “We have concluded that it is no longer possible to proceed with the primary under the current method, as it could lead to an undemocratic situation where voters’ rights could be undermined by manipulation by a certain group,” he said of the two-day opinion poll that was set to end on Sunday. Still, Kim said he would continue to hold talks with the Progressive Party on selecting
Ruling party candidate suspends Ulsan mayoral primary over flawed poll claims
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