Jung Cheong-rae, a candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea leadership, stated that there will "absolutely be no split" in the party following the upcoming convention on August 17. He emphasized the need for unity among factions, particularly between the pro-Lee Jae-myung group and others.
During a press meeting held on August 10 at the Jeonbuk Provincial Council, Jung remarked, "Do not even ask about a split." He expressed a desire to hold discussions among party members to address misunderstandings and conflicts, suggesting that a process to reveal underlying issues is necessary.
He noted, "There will be both winners and losers among the candidates in the convention. The winners should comfort the losers, and the losers should accept the results and cooperate respectfully."
Jung also pointed out that without internal unity, expanding the party's base will be impossible. He called for consolidating the party's traditional support base and quickly integrating with the Justice Party to establish a fifth democratic government.
Furthermore, he stated, "I believe that anyone aspiring to be party leader should not have a history of leaving the party. Even though I faced setbacks in nominations, it seems that party members appreciate my commitment to the party's interests first."
As the second week of the traveling primary concludes, Jung is slightly trailing behind Kim Min-seok. However, with the upcoming primaries in the Honam and Seoul-Gyeonggi regions, there is potential for a turnaround.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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