The Democratic Party has decided to implement a preference voting system for electing its leader at the upcoming convention in August. However, the proposal to establish an elected youth committee was rejected. In response, Jung Cheong-rae, a candidate for party leadership, stated he would "coolly accept" the decision, while Kim Min-seok and Song Young-gil expressed regret, labeling it as "collective self-interest."
On July 14, the party held a closed Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, where it approved a revision to party rules to introduce the preference voting system. This system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, the lowest-ranked candidate's votes are redistributed to the second-choice candidates of those who voted for them, eliminating the need for a runoff.
The proposal to designate one of the five elected committee members as a youth representative was voted down. This youth committee initiative will be referred back to the convention preparation committee for further discussion. The proposal was aimed at enhancing youth representation, but some factions within the party opposed it, citing a lack of legal basis in party rules.
After the Supreme Council meeting, Jung took to Facebook to say he would "coolly accept" the party's decision, adding, "I have much to say but will refrain. I will protect the Democratic Party, so I ask members to support Jung Cheong-rae." Earlier, he appeared on the YouTube program "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory," arguing that there is no legal basis for a youth committee and that it would be more rational for the party leader to appoint youth representatives.
Other leadership candidates criticized Jung, accusing him of engaging in "collective self-interest" while expressing their commitment to establishing a youth committee. Kim Min-seok remarked on X (formerly Twitter) that he was disappointed the proposal to introduce a youth committee, which would broaden the path for youth in politics, was thwarted by opposition from certain candidates. He emphasized that it is crucial to expand the connection between the party and the youth, stating that if he becomes the party leader, he would allocate one appointed committee seat to the youth and adopt a celebratory election method.
Song also criticized the decision on Facebook, stating, "While claiming to prioritize youth, the actions taken are contrary to that. This decision will burden the party for a long time." He asserted that youth representation should not be seen as a privilege but as a right that must be guaranteed by the party's rules. He promised to include the elected youth committee in the party's constitution if he is elected as party leader.
Goh Min-jeong remarked, "What can we say to the public after rejecting the alternatives we proposed for the sake of factional power? The politics of vested interests should not be the path of the Democratic Party. The future of the youth and the daily lives of the people must be at the center of our politics."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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