Song Young-gil, a member of the Democratic Party and candidate for party leader, has dismissed the possibility of candidate unification and made it clear that he intends to complete the race until the party convention on the 17th. He argued that withdrawing midway would be disadvantageous given the introduction of a preferential voting system, and he plans to leverage his experience leading both local governments and the ruling party to aim for a late-stage turnaround.
In an interview with Aju Economy on July 31 at the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul, Song stated, "There is no need for unification; I will go all the way to the end."
The upcoming Democratic Party convention will implement a preferential voting system. Party members will rank three candidates, and if no candidate receives a majority in the first round, the candidate in third place will be eliminated, and their second-choice votes will be redistributed to the remaining two candidates.
Song argued, "If we do not go all the way, it will be a loss," asserting that it is rational for all three candidates to participate fully in the election.
He emphasized that his experience as both the mayor of Incheon and the leader of the Democratic Party distinguishes him as the strongest candidate. "The party leader must support the president's governance legislatively while accurately conveying public sentiment and proposing alternatives to address the president's shortcomings," he said, adding, "Among the three, I am the one who can perform that role best."
He continued, "I have led a metropolitan government, specialized in economics, and have experience supporting the government's success as the leader of the ruling party. My experience in managing both local governments and the ruling party makes a significant difference in times of crisis."
One of Song's key achievements is his experience overcoming a financial crisis during his tenure as mayor of Incheon. When he took office in 2010, Incheon was facing severe financial difficulties, with debts exceeding 7 trillion won and daily interest payments reaching about 1 billion won. To secure funding, Song pushed for the sale of the Incheon Comprehensive Terminal, which was leased by Shinsegae Department Store, but determined that it could not be sold for the 650 billion won that Shinsegae had considered.
He involved Lotte in the bidding process, fostering real competition between the two retail giants, and ultimately, the terminal was sold for 900 billion won. He explained that including related revenues, the financial impact amounted to approximately 920 billion won.
Song highlighted this case as evidence of his negotiation skills and crisis management abilities, showing that he did not sell local government assets at a loss but rather secured their true value through competition.
He argues that his experience as mayor can be a significant asset in national politics. A politician who has managed a local government understands how policies are implemented on the ground and how budgets and administrative organizations operate.
"Politics is not just about slogans," he said. "One must understand economics, administration, and budgets, and have real experience in solving crises to support the success of the Lee Jae-myung government."
Currently, the Democratic Party leadership election is unfolding as a two-horse race between former leader Jeong Cheong-rae and former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok. As of August 3, the cumulative first-choice vote percentages among party members were 45.51% for Jeong, 44.52% for Kim, and 9.97% for Song.
Despite his low first-choice vote percentage, Song maintains that the nature of the preferential voting system means the final outcome cannot be predicted. Even if he finishes in third place, the second-choice votes from his supporters could determine the ultimate winner, and he could create an opportunity for a turnaround in the remaining regional contests.
Since entering the National Assembly in 2000, Song has served five terms in the Incheon Gyeyang district and was elected mayor of Incheon in 2010. He became the leader of the Democratic Party in 2021 and returned to the National Assembly through a by-election in Incheon Yeonsu-gap in June, becoming the first six-term member from Incheon.
The interview took place in Room 818 of the National Assembly building, which was previously used by President Lee Jae-myung during his time as a lawmaker. After returning to the National Assembly through the by-election, Song took over this office. In this space, where traces of President Lee remain, Song emphasized that he is the right person to support the success of the Lee Jae-myung government.
"I have experience leading both local governments and the ruling party," he said. "Just as I managed the crisis in Incheon, I will lead the success of the Lee Jae-myung government and the Democratic Party's victory in the general election based on my experience and policy capabilities."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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