Mokpo (constituency)

Mokpo, like most other constituencies located in the Honam region, is considered a stronghold for the liberal Democratic Party.^[1][2][3] The area has consistently voted for the Democratic Party, its predecessor parties, and affiliated independents; the only exception being the 2016 South Korean legislative election where influential politicians from Honam left the New Politics Alliance for Democracy and joined the People Party led by Ahn Cheol-soo.^[4][5][6]

Kim Hong-il, the eldest son of President Kim Dae-jung, was the first member to represent the constituency as a member of the liberal Millennium Democratic Party. He won the election in a landslide against Bae Jong-deok of the conservative Grand National Party, securing 91.79% of the vote.^[7] He was succeeded by Lee Sang-yul of the Millennium Democratic Party who won with 50.9% of the vote in the 2004 legislative election.^[8] Lee planned to run as an independent in the 2008 election, but resigned as a candidate after declaring his support for Jeong Young-sik of the United Democratic Party.^[9][10] In the general election, independent Park Jie-won, who served as the Chief of Staff to President Kim Dae-jung, won with 53.59% of the vote.^[11] Park successfully won re-election in 2012 and 2016, winning 71.17% and 56.38% of the vote respectively.^[12] However, he was defeated in the 2020 election by Kim Won-i of the Democratic Party.^[13][14]

The constituency encompasses the entire of Mokpo city. It is bordered by the constituency of Yeongam–Muan–Sinan to the north, east, and west and Haenam–Wando–Jindo to the south.