Democratic Party Lowers Deposit for Party Leader, Supreme Council Candidates by 20 Million Won

The Democratic Party of Korea has finalized a decision to lower the deposit fees for candidates for party leader and Supreme Council members by 20 million won each for next month’s national convention. Rep. Im Ho-seon, vice chair of the Election Management Committee, announced after a meeting at the National Assembly on the 21st that the deposit for party leader candidates was set at 80 million won, and for Supreme Council candidates at 30 million won.

This measure comes after criticism that the initially announced amounts of 100 million won and 50 million won were excessive, leading the party to revert to the standards used during the 2020–2022 national conventions.

The new regulations include a principle stating that fees already paid to participate in preliminary primaries will remain unchanged. The committee also resolved to apply a 50% deposit reduction waiver not only to non-lawmaker youth candidates but also to non-lawmaker candidates with disabilities.