In the Democratic Party's primary held on August 2 in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam (Bulgyeong) region, candidate Jung Cheong-rae secured 25,189 votes, narrowly defeating Kim Min-seok, who received 23,675 votes. Jung's victory comes after he lost to Kim by a slim margin in the previous day's primary in the Chungcheong region.
On this day, Jung garnered 4,054 votes in Ulsan, falling short of Kim's 4,337 votes. However, he outperformed Kim in Busan and Gyeongnam, where he received 10,345 and 10,790 votes, respectively, compared to Kim's 9,182 and 11,056 votes. Candidate Song Young-gil received a total of 5,129 votes, with 972 in Ulsan, 1,689 in Busan, and 2,468 in Gyeongnam.
The primary, which included the regions where late former President Roh Moo-hyun was born and built his political base, sparked ongoing debates about who represents Roh's political legacy.
During a joint speech in Changwon, Gyeongnam, Kim announced plans for grassroots politics, leveraging support from former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo. He stated, "To win the general and presidential elections in Gyeongnam, we need a political leader who can carry on the legacy of Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in," promising full support for Kim Kyung-soo.
He emphasized his commitment to transforming Gyeongnam into a hub for party reform and artificial intelligence (AI) politics, while also appealing for support from party members in Busan by referencing former Presidents Roh and Moon.
Jung targeted Kim, who had previously clashed with Roh over a potential unification with candidate Chung Mong-joon during the 16th presidential election. Jung remarked, "One day, Kim Min-seok flew to Chung Mong-joon. Our Roh Moo-hyun supporters remember that well," and criticized Kim for his past comments during Roh's legal troubles.
Jung also hinted at his connection to Roh's legacy by mentioning that Kim Jeong-ok, the spouse of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, is serving as his campaign chair.
Song raised concerns about Jung's candidacy, questioning why he has remained silent while Jung has attacked the president through writer Yoo Si-min, who has distorted the president's intentions.
After narrowly losing by 303 votes in the Chungcheong primary, Jung's victory by 1,514 votes in Bulgyeong marks a significant turnaround. However, analysts note that the close contests between the two candidates over two consecutive days have made predicting the election outcome increasingly difficult. Additionally, the lack of a candidate securing a majority in most regions suggests that preference voting may play a crucial role.
The Democratic Party plans to hold primaries in Jeju and Incheon on August 8, in Gangwon, Daegu, and Gyeongbuk on August 9, in Jeonnam, Gwangju, and Jeonbuk on August 15, and in Seoul and Gyeonggi on August 16, before convening a national convention on August 17 to elect a new party leader.
On this day, Jung garnered 4,054 votes in Ulsan, falling short of Kim's 4,337 votes. However, he outperformed Kim in Busan and Gyeongnam, where he received 10,345 and 10,790 votes, respectively, compared to Kim's 9,182 and 11,056 votes. Candidate Song Young-gil received a total of 5,129 votes, with 972 in Ulsan, 1,689 in Busan, and 2,468 in Gyeongnam.
The primary, which included the regions where late former President Roh Moo-hyun was born and built his political base, sparked ongoing debates about who represents Roh's political legacy.
During a joint speech in Changwon, Gyeongnam, Kim announced plans for grassroots politics, leveraging support from former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo. He stated, "To win the general and presidential elections in Gyeongnam, we need a political leader who can carry on the legacy of Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in," promising full support for Kim Kyung-soo.
He emphasized his commitment to transforming Gyeongnam into a hub for party reform and artificial intelligence (AI) politics, while also appealing for support from party members in Busan by referencing former Presidents Roh and Moon.
Jung targeted Kim, who had previously clashed with Roh over a potential unification with candidate Chung Mong-joon during the 16th presidential election. Jung remarked, "One day, Kim Min-seok flew to Chung Mong-joon. Our Roh Moo-hyun supporters remember that well," and criticized Kim for his past comments during Roh's legal troubles.
Jung also hinted at his connection to Roh's legacy by mentioning that Kim Jeong-ok, the spouse of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, is serving as his campaign chair.
Song raised concerns about Jung's candidacy, questioning why he has remained silent while Jung has attacked the president through writer Yoo Si-min, who has distorted the president's intentions.
After narrowly losing by 303 votes in the Chungcheong primary, Jung's victory by 1,514 votes in Bulgyeong marks a significant turnaround. However, analysts note that the close contests between the two candidates over two consecutive days have made predicting the election outcome increasingly difficult. Additionally, the lack of a candidate securing a majority in most regions suggests that preference voting may play a crucial role.
The Democratic Party plans to hold primaries in Jeju and Incheon on August 8, in Gangwon, Daegu, and Gyeongbuk on August 9, in Jeonnam, Gwangju, and Jeonbuk on August 15, and in Seoul and Gyeonggi on August 16, before convening a national convention on August 17 to elect a new party leader.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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