Song Young-gil, the longest-serving member of the Democratic Party with six terms, announced his candidacy for party leader on July 8, stating, "Without the support of the 2030 generation, there will be no victory in the 2030 presidential election." His announcement follows the candidacies of former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and lawmaker Ko Min-jeong, with former leader Jeong Cheong-rae also expected to run.
During a press conference at the party headquarters, Song remarked, "The recent local elections were a defeat dressed in the guise of victory," emphasizing that "the crisis began within us, and the solution lies within as well." He has previously criticized Jeong's leadership following the local elections.
To address youth concerns, he outlined key pledges including the normalization of real estate, solutions for job and housing issues, and the removal of obstacles in the stock market.
He promised, "If elected as party leader, I will appoint two members of the Supreme Council from the 2030 generation," and added, "I will create a special committee and platform for the 2030 generation to directly participate in major party decisions and make their own choices."
Song stated, "I will be a leader who embraces the hearts of young people and moderate swing voters, strengthening the value alliance of democratic reform forces."
As a member of the pro-Lee faction, Song emphasized the need for a united front with the Lee Jae-myung government. He declared, "I will not miss the golden opportunity of the next four years under this government, aiming to create an irreplaceable South Korea and Democratic Party."
He added, "The President is doing everything he can at this moment. We must not let him walk the thorny path alone. It is the duty of the ruling party to walk this path together with him."
Regarding the government's three major mega-projects aimed at achieving local-led growth, he stressed, "Since the President is personally chairing the semiconductor task force, we will establish a dedicated organization within the party to firmly support the government's rapid progress."
Additionally, there is speculation that he may ally with Kim Min-seok, who shares his pro-Lee stance, to counter Jeong Cheong-rae in the upcoming convention. Given that a preference voting system will be used instead of a runoff, a decision may be made soon.
The preference voting system allows voters to list their top three preferred candidates on the ballot. If a candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes in the first round, they are declared the winner. If no candidate achieves a majority, subsequent choices are counted. Some analysts suggest this system may favor the pro-Lee faction.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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