Lee Jae-myung expected to run for DP chairman

Politics

Published: 14 Jul. 2022, 15:21

Lee Jae-myung expected to run for DP chairman

Democratic Party Rep. Lee Jae-myung thanks the crowd after he won a parliamentary seat on June 1 in Gyeyang, Incheon. [NEWS1]

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate from the liberal Democratic Party (DP) who lost last March's election, is expected to declare his bid for his party's chairmanship.

The DP will hold a national convention on Aug. 28 to elect a new chair.

There has been speculation whether Lee would run ever since he won a parliamentary seat representing Incheon's Gyeyang-B district on June 1, a swift return to politics after his defeat in March.

An aide to Lee said he will declare his bid on Sunday, the day candidates can start to register. Lee is expected to emphasize the need for political reform and party unity.

In the March 9 presidential election, Lee narrowly lost to Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) by 0.73 percentage points.

The DP experienced more major losses in June 1 local elections, with the PPP winning 12 of 17 key metropolitan mayor and provincial governor races. The PPP also won five out of seven parliamentary by-elections.

The DP is split between those who support Lee and those who don't.

Some within the party maintain that Lee should take responsibility for the DP's election losses along with the rest of the party leadership. Others say Lee is the only leader who can unify the divided party, especially with his recent by-election victory.

Others running for the chairman position include Reps. Kang Byung-won, Kang Hoon-sik, Park Yong-jin, Park Ju-min and Kim Min-seok

Other spots on the DP Supreme Council will be filled.

Pro-Lee candidates running for Supreme Council seats include three-term lawmakers Jung Chung-rae and Seo Young-kyo, and first-term lawmakers Yang Yiwon-young and Jang Kyung-tae. A few others close to Lee such as Rep. Park Chan-dae are also expected to run.

Candidates outside the Lee camp include Reps. Ko Young-in, Song Gab-seok, Yoon Young-chan and Ko Min-jung. Yoon, a former presidential senior secretary for public communication and Ko, a former Blue House spokesperson, were both in the Moon Jae-in administration.

In recent polls, Lee has led other candidates to run the party. His supporters say that there is no competition.

But PPP lawmakers have accused Lee of running for parliament to get immunity from arrest. Under the law, lawmakers cannot be arrested or detained while the National Assembly is in session without parliamentary consent.

Lee, a former governor of Gyeonggi, has been accused of being involved in a land development scandal in Daejang-dong, Seongnam, during his time as mayor of the city. He has denied all allegations.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]