Democratic Party Leadership Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Primary: Jung Chungrae Leads ... "Will Defeat Kim Minseok with the Spirit of Roh Moo-hyun"

Former party leader Jung Chungrae took first place in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam regional primary for the Democratic Party of Korea leadership election.

On August 2, the Democratic Party held its third regular national party member convention and the South Gyeongsang Provincial Party regular member convention at Irum Hall of the General Education Building (Building 85) at Changwon National University, located in Uichang-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, and conducted the party leadership election's second regional primary.

Excluding the 5% weighting applied to South Gyeongsang Province votes, the combined vote totals from eligible party members in Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang showed Jung Chungrae receiving 25,189 votes, which accounts for 46.65% of the total, placing him in first position.

Former Prime Minister Kim Minseok recorded 23,675 votes (43.85%), while Assemblyman Song Younggil received 5,129 votes or 9.5% of the ballots.

The weighting for strategic regions will be applied to calculate the final vote tally at the party congress, scheduled to be held 17 days after the completion of the regional primaries.

Jeong Cheongrae, candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea leadership, is delivering a policy speech at the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam regional primary held at the Eroom Hall of the Comprehensive Education Building (Building 85) at Changwon National University.
[Photo by Lee Seryoung]

Jung, who lost narrowly to candidate Kim in the Chungcheong region primary the previous day, stated, "I have overtaken my rival in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region today."

He added, "Just as former President Roh, who had no organization or parliamentary support, defeated Injae Lee, who had both, Jung Chungrae—who has neither—will also prevail. I will defeat candidate Kim Minseok with the spirit of Roh Moo-hyun."

He continued, "If I become party leader, my first action will be to order an ethics audit into the Shincheonji allegations by the authority invested in the party leadership."

"If the ethics audit finds the allegations to be false, I will immediately refer the matter to the party ethics tribunal for disciplinary action, thereby proving that the Democratic Party is not an unconstitutional party and resolving the Shincheonji suspicions. I will ensure that allegations concerning Shincheonji are strictly sanctioned," he emphasized.

He further stated, "Whether it was the betrayal of President Roh Moo-hyun in 2002, shifting blame for the 2022 local election defeat to Assemblyman Lee Jaemyung and attacking him, or raising Shincheonji allegations during this party congress to attack the party—these are all the same, and I will not tolerate such behavior."

He concluded, "I will meet party members and the public with greater humility, and while I will refrain from slandering others, I will firmly confront any actions that endanger the party or its members under the banner of legitimate defense."

Democratic Party members and others are cheering as the results of the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam regional primary election were announced at the Irum Hall in the Comprehensive Education Building (Building 85) of Changwon National University.
Photo by Se Ryeong Lee

Jung asserted, "I have never betrayed or left this party—not once. For over 25 years, I have carried the flag of reform highest within the Democratic Party and have acted in alignment with its core identity."

He added, "The Democratic Party must become bigger and more inclusive. We should quickly merge with the National Innovation Party, ally with the Basic Income Party and the Social Democratic Party, and build a broader and stronger Democratic Party. Only then can we secure victory in the general and presidential elections."

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