On the 8th, during the Democratic Party of Korea’s 8·17 National Convention Jeju-Incheon regional primary, Kim Min-seok, a contender for party leadership, emerged victorious over Jung Chung-rae. Meanwhile, the competition for Supreme Council positions remained closely contested, with the standings of the pro-Myung and pro-Cheong factions constantly changing.
Soh Byung-hoon, head of the Democratic Party’s Central Election Management Committee, stated on the 8th following a joint speech event in Incheon for the regional primary election aimed at choosing the party leader and Supreme Council members, which took place at the Namdong Gymnasium in Incheon, that Park Seon-won received the most votes with 16,819. Park, who was second in the overall tally, overcame Choi Min-hee, who had initially led the primary with 16,060 votes. This was then followed by Seo Mi-hwa with 14,289 votes and Han Min-su with 13,610 votes.
The contest for seats on the Supreme Council continues to be intense. Kim Yong, a key advisor to President Lee, received 12,493 votes, which placed him within the qualifying range of five Chinese yuan. He was then followed by Lee Sung-yoon from the pro-Cheong faction with 11,896 votes, Lim Mi-ae with 6,265 votes, and Kim Young-ho with 2,964 votes.
The conflict between the supporters of Myung and those of Cheong became more intense during the policy speeches delivered by the candidates for the Supreme Council on the same day.
A candidate from the Pro-Myung faction, Kim Yong, remarked on the same day, “Our Democratic Party will distance itself from past practices. We are heading towards the future. We will move forward with Lee Jae Myung,” and continued, “The Democratic Party needs to separate from old traditions and progress towards the future alongside Lee Jae Myung. It should be a Democratic Party that serves everyone, without factional divisions, gaining the affection and confidence of the public, and embracing the route of innovation.”
He then mentioned the phrase “the rear waves of the Yangtze River push the front waves” (장강후랑추전랑), stating, “The front waves of the Yangtze River should not hinder the rear waves. The way must be cleared for the rear waves.”
He also criticized Jung, stating, “Although he has not managed to gain the support of 160 National Assembly members, he is inciting a conflict with 1.6 million party members who hold rights.”
A candidate from the Pro-Myung faction, Seo Mi-hwa, questioned, “How can one safeguard the president by repeatedly saying ‘no comment’ when the head of the ruling party is expected to take a stance?” Park Seon-won, speaking to former leader Jung, remarked, “The leadership of Jung Chung-rae has no further responsibilities. There is nothing left to accomplish.”
In the meantime, the pro-Cheong group claimed that the National Convention regulations benefit Kim Min-seok’s side and called for safeguarding Jung. Candidates Choi Min-hee, Han Min-su, and Lee Sung-yoon specifically condemned the pro-Myung faction’s proposal for additional voting rights for those who did not vote, saying, “They are attempting to alter the rules of the game while the competition is still ongoing.”
Lee Sung-yoon criticized, “They are changing the National Convention rules to implement a preferential voting system not outlined in the party’s constitution, pushing for the registration of ineligible candidates, and asking for extra votes even after the voting has ended,” labeling it “a power grab that isn’t permitted by party regulations.” He further stated, “Please safeguard our representative Jung Chung-rae from the ‘group beating’ (다구리) tactics involving 1 vs. 5, 1 vs. 3, and 1 vs. many.”
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