Lee Jae-myung takes first Democratic Party primary in landslide victory

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Lee Jae-myung takes first Democratic Party primary in landslide victory

Published: 19 Apr. 2025, 20:26 Updated: 20 Apr. 2025, 20:16

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

From left, Lee Jae-myung, Kim Kyoung-soo and Kim Dong-yeon greet Democratic Party members and delegates at Cheongju Gymnasium in North Chungcheong on Saturday. A regional primary to select the final nominee to run for presidency from the party was held Saturday in the Chungcheong region. [NEWS1]

Lee Jae-myung secured a landslide victory in the Democratic Party’s first regional primary in the Chungcheong region on Saturday, winning 88.15 percent of the vote.

Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon came in second with 7.54 percent, followed by former South Gyeongsang Governor Kim Kyoung-soo with 4.31 percent.

Of the 64,730 eligible party members and delegates who participated in the online and phone vote between April 16 and April 19, 57,057 cast their ballots for Lee. The total was nearly eight times greater than the combined votes for Kim Dong-yeon and Kim Kyoung-soo. Kim Dong-yeon earned 4,883 votes and Kim Kyoung-soo 2,790 votes.

Lee Jae-myung, the front-runner in the Democratic Party primary, shows his thumbs up before giving his speech at Cheongju Gymnasium in North Chungcheong on Saturday, when a regional primary to select the final nominee to run for presidency from the party was held in the Chungcheong region. [NEWS1]

Lee, the former leader of the Democratic Party and its candidate in the 2022 presidential election, expressed his gratitude to party members and delegates for their "generous support," and said he would "do his utmost throughout the remaining campaign to fulfill the people's desire for a better country" as he met with reporters after the results were announced at Cheongju Gymnasium in North Chungcheong on Saturday.

When asked about his thoughts on the landslide victory, he said "I have my thoughts, but I don't think I need to say them out loud."

Lee's dominance was clear from earlier in the day when each candidate delivered their stump speech.

Lee's supporters packed the venue, waving cheering sticks and dancing. About 20 of them, dressed in blue scarves and sunglasses, chanted Lee’s name while parading around the hall.

In contrast, support for the other two candidates was muted.

“It felt like an unfair playing field from the rules of the primary itself,” said Sim Yoon-bo, a 46-year-old supporter of Kim Dong-yeon.

"Our booth was so quiet, it was heartbreaking," said Han Guk-won, a 58-year-old supporter of Kim Kyoung-soo.

Kim Dong-yeon, a candidate in the Democratic Party primary, speaks at Cheongju Gymnasium in North Chungcheong on Saturday when a regional primary to select the final nominee to run for presidency from the party was held in the Chungcheong region. [YONHAP]

Each candidate focused on local connections and tailored pledges to appeal to the Chungcheong electorate.

Opening his speech by calling himself a “son-in-law of Chungcheong,” Lee pledged to build a “real Korea” where people enjoy equal opportunity and fair rewards for their efforts.

“Chungcheong will be firmly placed at the center of that real Korea,” he said.

Lee also reiterated his commitment to completing the administrative capital in Sejong, including the construction of a National Assembly building and a presidential office in the city.

“There will be hurdles including constitutional amendments and earning public support, but I will push for the complete relocation of both the presidential office and the National Assembly,” he said.

He also promised to make Daejeon a global science hub and to turn South and North Chungcheong into core regions for high-tech industries, while supporting the formation of an integrated Chungcheong economic bloc.

While Sejong and Daejeon are both self-governing cities and no longer officially part of South or North Chungcheong, they are both within the historic Chungcheong region.

Kim Dong-yeon, who hails from Eumseong, North Chungcheong, made his entrance wearing a bright orange Hanwha Eagles jacket, accompanied by the Eagles’ cheer song “I Am Happy,” referencing the baseball team based in Daejeon.

“As a son of Chungcheong, I will prove my commitment to the region through action,” he said.

He proposed relocating the presidential office, National Assembly, Supreme Court and Supreme Prosecutors' Office to the Chungcheong region.

He also vowed to dismantle the current structures of the presidential office, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the prosecution service, saying they represented the entrenched powers of Korean governance.

Kim Kyoung-soo, a candidate in the Democratic Party primary, speaks at Cheongju Gymnasium in North Chungcheong on Saturday when a regional primary to select the final nominee to run for presidency from the party was held in the Chungcheong region. [NEWS1]

Kim Kyoung-soo also pledged to make the region the administrative capital.

He framed it as the beginning of a “five mega-city autonomous government model,” which divides Korea to be governed in five large blocs — greater Seoul, Chungcheong region, Honam region, Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region and Daegu-Gyeongbuk region.

He also pledged to accelerate projects such as the Chungcheong region express rail CTX and establishing a new inland line linking Jincheon and Cheongju Airport, and the east-west rail expansion connecting Seosan and Uljin.

Much like the televised debate the previous day, the candidates refrained from attacking one another and instead emphasized the need for a “decisive regime change” and “party unity.”

"Lee appears to be sure of his victory, while Kim Kyoung-soo and Kim Dong-yeon seem to be focused on solidifying their presence within the party," said Jang Seung-jin, a professor of political science and international relations at Kookmin University. "Future regional primaries are also likely to remain low-key and free from personal attacks."

The Democratic Party will continue its primaries in the Yeongnam region on April 20, followed by Honam on April 26, and finally in the capital region, Gangwon and Jeju on April 27.

The final nominee will be selected by combining the results of the four regional primaries, which account for 50 percent, and a public opinion poll, which makes up the remaining 50 percent.

A candidate with more than half the total will win the nomination outright.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY JO SU-BIN [[email protected]]