Candidates register for by-elections

Candidates for the Oct. 30 parliamentary by-elections began registering with the National Election Commission on Thursday.

The elections will be held in two constituencies in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province.

Representing the ruling Saenuri Party, former party head Suh Chung-won and former public administration minister Park Myung-jae are running in Hwaseong and Pohang, respectively.

After failing to convince former party chief Sohn Hak-kyu to run against Suh, the main opposition Democratic Party settled on Oh Il-yong to face-off against the veteran politician in Hwaseong. The DP designated Heo Dae-man as its candidate for the Pohang area.

Official campaigning will begin next Thursday.

Former Saenuri Rep. Ko Hee-sun represented Hwaseong’s first district before succumbing to cancer in August while Kim Hyung-tae worked for Pohang’s constituents before being found guilty of election fraud in July.

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