Pro-Lee Candidates Blame Party Leadership for Democratic Party's Waning Support

On the second day of the August 2 tour in Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang Province, Democratic Party leadership candidates Song Young-gil, Jeong Cheong-rae, and Kim Min-sek shifted the blame for the administration's sluggish approval ratings under Chairman Lee Jae-myung onto the party leadership and launched a counterattack.

As the anti-Lee candidates intensified their criticism of the current leadership in the regions where their support is weak—Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang Province—pro-Lee candidates, including Kim Yong and Kim Young-ho, launched a counteroffensive. They criticized the current leadership, saying, "The first-term leadership, which directed the election, has not taken responsibility," and "Isn't it the duty of the ruling party leader not to make things difficult for the president?" Candidate Kim Young-ho argued that candidates Song Young-gil and Kim Min-seok must form a new leadership to support the administration.

Meanwhile, in the voting by party members in Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang Province, candidate Jeong Cheong-rae took first place in the region, candidate Kim Min-seok came in second, and candidate Song Young-gil came in third. In Ulsan, candidate Kim Min-seok surpassed candidate Jeong. The cumulative vote rate, including the Chungcheong region, shows candidate Jeong leading candidate Kim Min-seok with 45.51%.