ⓒYONHAP News 

The ruling People Power Party(PPP) won in a landslide in the local elections on Wednesday.

The PPP clinched 12 of 17 governor and mayoral posts, while the main opposition Democratic Party(DP) managed to win in just five contests, including Gyeonggi Province.

The ruling party won in Seoul and Incheon in the capital region as well as Gyeongsang, Chungcheong and Gangwon provinces in the elections held less than a month after the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol government.

The DP won in its traditional strongholds of Gwangju, South and North Jeolla provinces, and the biggest battlefield of Gyeonggi Province, where its candidate Kim Dong-yeon defeated the PPP's Kim Eun-hye by a thin margin. It also won in Jeju, taking the seat from the conservative camp for the first time in 20 years.

In the previous local elections in 2018, the then-ruling DP swept 14 of the 17 areas, while the then-conservative main opposition Liberty Korea Party won in just two areas in its traditional strongholds of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province.

The PPP also scored victories in the parliamentary by-elections concurrently held with the local elections on Wednesday.

The PPP clinched five out of seven legislative seats up for grabs, winning in Bundang in Gyeonggi Province, Suseong in Daegu, Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province and Boryeong in South Chungcheong Province, as well as Wonju in Gangwon Province, a constituency previously held by the DP.

The opposition party saved face by winning in just the Incheon district of Gyeyang and in Jeju.

Recent presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung of the DP and Ahn Cheol-soo of the PPP secured assembly seats in Gyeyang and Bundang, respectively.

As a result, the number of the PPP's seats increased by one to 114, while the DP lost one to hold 169 in the 300-seat National Assembly.

Following the results, the PPP made a unified declaration that they will work humbly for the people.

PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok, during a party leadership meeting on Thursday, called the landslide victory "a very gratifying yet intimidating" result. He blamed the unilateral decision making of the main opposition Democratic Party for the backlash resulting in its heavy losses on Wednesday, vowing that the ruling party will work for the people with a humble attitude.

PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong said although the party is still outnumbered by the DP in the National Assembly, he feels confident and reassured after the strong show of support from the people through their votes.

The ruling party plans to establish an “innovation committee” dedicated to party reform and the execution of election pledges.

The leadership of the DP, meanwhile, stepped down on Thursday.

Following a closed-door party meeting, Yun Ho-jung, one of the two co-chairs of the interim leadership committee, apologized to the public and party members for failing to meet their expectations.

Yun also thanked the public for its reproach of the party to reform and innovate.

Members of a new interim leadership until a party convention in August are expected to be selected at a general meeting of assembly members, as well as the party’s administrative and central committees.

The leadership of the justice party also resigned on Thursday.