Song Young-gil, a former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated on June 21 that "Jeong Cheong-rae is running to fight against President Lee Jae-myung," indicating that he would also consider entering the race if Jeong decides to run.
In an appearance on KBC Newsmaker, Song warned, "If this party collapses, it will lead to President Lee's lame-duck period." He attributed the decline in Lee's approval ratings following the June 3 local elections to a lack of harmony between the party and the government, as well as a perceived electoral defeat relative to expectations.
Song noted that there were criticisms during the nomination process regarding Jeong's efforts to support his allies for re-election. He remarked, "All politicians pursue their own interests, but our era must move toward coexistence with the Lee Jae-myung administration."
When asked by the host if Jeong's candidacy would increase the likelihood of his own participation in the party convention, Song replied, "The possibility is increasing."
He also addressed the potential three-way race involving Jeong, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, and himself, suggesting that if votes were split between Kim and himself, Jeong could benefit. However, he emphasized that the introduction of a runoff vote this time would mitigate such concerns.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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