As allegations of Shincheonji involvement surface, factional conflicts within the Democratic Party intensify. On the first day of voting for party leadership on July 28, candidates Song Young-gil and former leader Jeong Cheong-rae sought support in the Chungcheong region, while former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok focused on the Gyeongsangnam-do area. All three candidates aimed to gain an early advantage in the race.
On the morning of July 28, Song held a meeting with party members in Chungju and planned town hall meetings in Cheongju and Daejeon in the afternoon. He also scheduled a casual gathering with young voters in Daejeon later, promoting his slogan, 'No 2030 election without the 2030 generation.' To address youth housing concerns, he proposed measures to increase real estate supply and pledged to appoint two youth representatives to the Supreme Council to amplify their voices.
Jeong visited the grave of the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan in Sejong City in the morning, accompanied by Kim Jeong-ok, Lee's wife and Jeong's campaign chair. Afterward, he met with Sejong Mayor Jo Sang-ho and engaged with party members in the city. In the afternoon, he traveled to Jeonju to deliver a special lecture at the National Women's Vision Forum, aiming to sway voters in the Honam region. Jeong, hailing from Geumsan in Chungcheongnam-do, faced pushback from Song and Kim's camps regarding the decision to start the primary in the Chungcheong area.
Meanwhile, Kim remained in Gyeongsangnam-do, visiting the Geoje shipyard and the construction site of the new airport in Gadeokdo, Busan. He planned to target voter sentiment in Jinju, as voting in the Gyeongsangnam-do region begins on July 29. This area is classified as a weak region in the primary, receiving a 5% bonus. While the one-person, one-vote system allows for broader representation of party members' opinions, it has faced criticism for potentially sidelining some regional voices, prompting the primary preparation committee to devise improvements. Kim had visited Chungcheong and Ulsan the previous day and plans to meet with Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jeong and Chungcheongnam-do Governor Park Soo-hyun on July 29.
The Democratic Party will kick off its primary in the Chungcheong region (Chungnam, Chungbuk, Daejeon, Sejong) on August 1, followed by Ulsan, Busan, and Gyeongsangnam-do on August 2, Jeju and Incheon on August 8, Gangwon on August 9, and Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do (TK) on August 15. The final rounds will take place in Jeonnam, Gwangju, and Jeonbuk on August 16, and in Gyeonggi and Seoul, culminating in the convention at the Daejeon Convention Center on August 17. The final results will be determined by combining votes from party members and delegates (70%) with public opinion polls (30%).
However, the voting process in the Chungcheong region began at 9 a.m. but faced confusion due to a website error during online voting in Chungnam and Chungbuk. The voting system was restored by around 10 a.m., and the party's election management committee announced that voting hours for party members in these regions would be extended by one hour.
Amid the allegations of Shincheonji involvement, factional tensions have escalated within the party. Kim has repeatedly raised concerns about the allegations, while Jeong has labeled them as false and threatened legal action. Kim maintains that his comments are aimed at addressing internal party issues rather than targeting specific candidates.
Disputes continue between the pro-Myeong faction and the pro-Cheong faction during Supreme Council meetings. The pro-Myeong faction argues that their actions are necessary to uphold the constitutional principle of separation of church and state, while the pro-Cheong faction demands evidence and warns that Jeong should resign if the claims are proven false.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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