Kang Deukgu: "Not Running in Next Supreme Council Election... Democratic Party Is in the Same Boat as the Lee Administration"

"Taking Responsibility for Local Election Results"
Targets Jeong Cheongrae: "There Cannot Be Two Captains of the Ship"

Kang Deukgu, Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea and an ally of President Lee Jaemyung, announced on June 24 that he would not run in the next Supreme Council election, taking responsibility for the outcome of the recent local elections.

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on this day, Kang stated, "While evaluations of the election results may differ, one thing is clear: we must not interpret the warning message sent by the public to the Democratic Party in different ways."

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on June 24, 2026. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

He continued, "Over the past year, as President Lee Jaemyung's administration was launched and the June 3 local elections were held, the weight and pain that the party leader had to bear as the head of the ruling party must have been heavier than anyone else's. Nevertheless, there is still much to be desired."

Targeting leader Jeong Cheongrae, Kang said, "During the merger issue and the process of strategic nominations for the by-elections, decisions were unilaterally communicated without even the minimum discussion within the Supreme Council. Party members' sovereignty should not mean that a particular individual's authority is strengthened; it should be a process in which the voices of more members and stakeholders are respected. This is the spirit and demand of the times."

He further referred to a public opinion survey showing that a higher percentage of respondents said they supported President Lee Jaemyung rather than the Democratic Party in the recent local elections, saying, "The people did not vote for the Democratic Party; they voted for President Lee Jaemyung. In the face of this cold reality, the entire party leadership, including the party leader, must humbly reflect and seriously look back."

Kang emphasized, "The Democratic Party is in the same boat as the Lee Jaemyung administration," and added, "There cannot be two captains of a ship." He continued, "The leadership of the ruling party should not engage in politics that competes with the president, but rather in politics that succeeds together with the president."

However, after Kang finished his remarks, Moon Jeongbok, another Supreme Council member known as an ally of Jeong Cheongrae, responded, "President Lee Jaemyung is the captain of the Republic of Korea, and Jeong Cheongrae is the captain of our Democratic Party."

In his closing remarks at the Supreme Council meeting, leader Jeong Cheongrae announced his intention to step down as party leader. However, he also hinted at a de facto bid for re-election, saying, "I will not stop the engine of reform."

Meanwhile, Assemblyman Park Sunwon is scheduled to hold a press conference announcing his candidacy for the Supreme Council election on this day. Han Minsu, chief of staff to leader Jeong Cheongrae, also said he is considering running for the Supreme Council. With the launch of the National Convention Preparation Committee, it appears that candidates are gearing up for the race.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.