Jung Cheong-rae Leads in Democratic Party's First Regional Primary

In the first regional primary for the Democratic Party of Korea's (더불어민주당) new leadership, candidate Jung Cheong-rae (정청래) emerged victorious over Park Chan-dae (박찬대) in the Chungcheong region. On July 19, the online voting results from party members in Daejeon, Sejong, Chungnam, and Chungbuk revealed that Jung secured 62.77% of the votes, while Park received 37.23%.

The Democratic Party's leadership election combines votes from delegates (15%), party members (55%), and public opinion polls (30%) to determine the final rankings. Initially, the party planned to hold an in-person event in Daejeon, but due to severe rain damage across the country, they opted for an online joint speech event instead.

Upcoming primaries are scheduled for the Yeongnam region on July 20, Honam region on July 26, Gyeonggi-Incheon on July 27, and Seoul-Gangwon-Jeju on August 2.

During his speech, Jung promised to lead the party with effectiveness, stating, "I will tackle judicial, media, and prosecutorial reforms with the same vigor I had as the chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee." He emphasized that he would handle the challenges, allowing President Lee Jae-myung (이재명) to focus on governance.

Jung also remarked on the political climate, saying, "While Yoon Seok-yeol (윤석열) has been ousted and imprisoned, the turmoil is not over. We did not achieve 50% of the votes in the last presidential election, and they garnered over 40%. Strong leadership is essential during times of crisis, and I will break through the resistance to reform." He proposed regular voting among party members on key policies and plans to hold a concert for party members at the end of the year.

In contrast, Park emphasized his long-standing dedication to supporting President Lee, stating, "No one has been as committed to protecting President Lee as I have. We are the ruling party, and we stand at the forefront of the first local elections under this administration." He disagreed with Jung's approach, asserting that the party leader must work alongside the president to ensure effective governance. Park highlighted his past efforts in the National Assembly, including initiating special legislation and gathering support for investigations into key judicial figures.