Incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party has won reelection, defying an initial exit poll that predicted a loss to his rival, Chong Won-o of the Democratic Party of Korea. With 99.93 percent of votes counted by 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oh secured 49.19 percent, narrowly defeating Chong's 48.09 percent. The election was marked by a dramatic comeback as Oh erased an early lead held by Chong. Oh attributed his victory to "common sense" and the aspirations of citizens. The election day also saw ballot paper shortages at several polling stations, prompting an emergency meeting by the National Election Commission which deemed the issue not grounds for postponement. Oh has called for a thorough investigation into the process flaws.