Song Young-gil Barred from Presidential Bid as Readmission Period Under 6 Months... Democratic Party Supreme Council Fails to Reach Conclusion

The Democratic Party of Korea failed to reach a conclusion on whether to recognize the eligibility of former Chairman Song Young-gil and former Vice President of the Democratic Research Institute Kim Yong during a Supreme Council meeting held in the early hours of the 16th, postponing the discussion to the 17th.

Party rules restrict eligibility for party office elections to party members who joined at least six months prior to exercising their right and paid party dues at least six times within the preceding year; however, a clause allows for changes via a resolution of the Party Affairs Council. Former Chairman Song returned to the party on February 27, 2026, after leaving in 2023, failing to meet the six-month readmission requirement, while former Vice Chairman Kim failed to meet the due payment requirement due to incarceration and account freezes.

Supreme Council members Kang Deuk-gu and Hwang Myeong-sun, aligned with the pro-Roh faction, argued for the matter to be referred to the Party Affairs Council for exceptional treatment, given the circumstances of the two candidates. In contrast, Supreme Council member Moon Jeong-bok, aligned with the pro-Lee faction, countered that regulations cannot be altered once candidate registration has begun.