Seoul, Oct 17 (IANS): South Korea's rival political parties won local by-elections in each own stronghold, the country's election watchdog said on Thursday.

Candidates from the ruling People Power Party were elected as chiefs of the southeastern port city of Busan's Geumjeong district and the western port city of Incheon's Ganghwa county, the traditional home turf for the conservative party, according to the National Election Commission.

Those from the main liberal opposition Democratic Party clinched a victory in by-elections for chiefs of Yeonggwang and Gokseong counties in South Jeolla province, reports Xinhua news agency.

A liberal candidate defeated a conservative one to be a superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

A tentative voter turnout in Wednesday's by-elections was 24.62 per cent, with a turnout in the two-day early voting last week standing at 8.98 per cent.

The by-elections came after the ruling party and the incumbent government suffered a crushing defeat in the April 10 parliamentary elections.