Jeong Cheong-rae Adopts Underdog Strategy Amid Joint Offensive by Kim Min-seok and Song Young-gil

As the Democratic Party of Korea’s national convention approaches, the race is shaping up into a structure where candidates Kim Min-seok and Song Young-gil are launching a joint offensive against candidate Jeong Cheong-rae, who is vying for re-election. The preliminary competition to select three out of the five party leader candidates for the main election officially begins on the 20th with a joint campaign rally.

Candidate Kim Min-sek criticized Jeong's camp at a meeting with party members in Busan on the 19th, calling them a force causing conflict with President Lee Jae-myung. Through online communication channels, he emphasized that this primary is a major battle where one must choose whether it is a guise for "anti-Myung" factionalism or for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration and victory in the general election. Candidate Song Young-gil also visited Busan the same day and, in a meeting with members of the Busan Honam Association, mentioned the recent local election process, pointing out that despite disappointing results for President Lee Jae-myung, the existing leadership showed a complacent attitude. Candidate Jeong Cheong-rae is employing a strategy of humbling himself to avoid a head-on confrontation, and the spouse of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan has taken the role of chairman for Jeong's support association.

In the Supreme Council election, competition is fierce to divide or consolidate votes by designating candidates from specific factions. The preliminary election for the Supreme Council will select 8 out of 14 candidates, reflecting 50% of votes from Central Committee members and 50% from eligible party members online. Rep. Chae Hyun-il, who is close to candidate Kim Min-seok, criticized the move as a blatant calculation to create a leadership centered on a specific faction.

The Democratic Party has decided to re-discuss the issue of waiving deposits for youth candidates at a plenary meeting of the Central Election Management Committee on the 21st. Depending on the outcome of this discussion, the conditions for youth candidates to run may change, which is expected to have a direct impact on the landscape of the upcoming preliminary competition.