Photo: Lee Nak-yeon meets constituents. Credit: Facebook page of Lee Nak-yeon.
Often called “the First District of Politics” 정치1번지 because it holds the Blue House 청와대 and the central government buildings, Jongno is the district where big names test their mettle. Two of its former Assembly Members, Lee Myung-bak 이명박 and Roh Moo-hyun 노무현, went onto become presidents.
On September 15, the National Assembly 국회 voted to approve the resignation of Lee Nak-yeon 이낙연, Jongno's Assembly Member who tendered his resignation on September 7 to focus on his struggling presidential campaign in the Democratic Party 민주당 primaries. The by-election for Lee's district will be held in March 2022, together with the presidential election.
The by-election for Jongno will likely serve as an undercard to the presidential election, potentially featuring each parties’ presidential candidates who failed to secure the nomination.