Democratic Party After Preliminary Primary, Full-Scale Party Convention Phase... 'Controversy Over Convention Rules'

Democratic Party's Pledge Ceremony for Fair Election Practice on the 15th
Controversy Over Implementation Rules Including Voting Before Joint Debate Policy Presentations
Joint Debate to Begin on the 20th in Jeju-do

After completing the preliminary primary schedule, the Democratic Party of Korea has entered the full-fledged phase of the party convention.

On the 15th, the Democratic Party held a 'Pledge Ceremony for Fair Election Practices' in the party leader's meeting room at the National Assembly. Attendees included Democratic Party leader candidates Kim Ji-su, Kim Du-kwan, and Lee Jae-myung, as well as Democratic Party Supreme Council candidates Kim Byung-joo, Kang Seon-woo, Jeong Bong-ju, Kim Min-seok, Lee Eon-ju, Han Jun-ho, and Jeon Hyun-hee (in order of ballot number). Supreme Council candidate Min Hyung-bae was absent from the pledge ceremony due to campaign schedule conflicts.

Following the preliminary primary held the previous day, five candidates?Representative Lee Sung-yoon, Park Jin-hwan, Standing Committee member of the Democratic Party National Innovation Council, Mayor Choi Dae-ho of Anyang, Democratic Party deputy spokesperson Kim Ji-ho, and Cheongju city councilor Park Wan-hee?did not advance to the main election. Former party leader Lee and other party leader candidates advanced to the main election without a preliminary candidate primary.

Candidates for the Democratic Party of Korea's party leader and supreme council members are taking a commemorative photo at the 1st National Party Members' Convention Candidate Fair Election Pledge Ceremony held at the National Assembly on the 15th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Park Chan-dae, acting party leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, urged at the pledge ceremony, "Please compete fiercely while taking the People Power Party’s convention, riddled with all sorts of old practices, as a lesson, and conduct a dignified and firmly united contest." Lee Gae-ho, chairman of the Democratic Party Central Election Commission, said, "During the election process and even after the election, we must become a one team that serves the people," adding, "Through clean and fair competition, we ask you to do your best so that the process leading to the results is truly beautiful and can be evaluated as truly democratic."

The Democratic Party will hold joint rallies touring nationwide, starting with the Jeju Provincial Party and Incheon City Party on the 20th. On the 21st, joint rallies and city/provincial party member meetings will be held, hosted by the Gangwon Provincial Party, Gyeongbuk Provincial Party, and Daegu City Party. On the 27th, joint rallies will be held by the Ulsan City Party, Busan City Party, and Gyeongnam Provincial Party, and on the 28th by the Chungnam Provincial Party and Chungbuk Provincial Party. On the 3rd of next month, the Jeonbuk Provincial Party will hold a joint rally, followed by the Gwangju City Party and Jeonnam Provincial Party on the 4th, the Gyeonggi Provincial Party on the 10th, the Daejeon City Party and Sejong City Party on the 11th, and the Seoul City Party on the 17th. The party convention will be held on the 18th of next month at the KSPO Dome inside Olympic Park in Seoul. At the convention, one party leader and five Supreme Council members will be elected.

Although the election phase has begun, objections have been raised regarding the election implementation rules and related matters.

The Kim Du-kwan campaign raised issues concerning the election implementation rules. Baek Wang-soon, spokesperson for the Kim Du-kwan camp, said, "Starting early voting without even hearing the candidates’ policy presentations is an undemocratic and unfair decision," pointing out, "For example, Incheon metropolitan area party members vote from the 19th until 6 p.m. on the 20th, before attending the rally starting at 4 p.m. on the 20th." Regarding this, he explained, "It would be sufficient to vote after listening to all regional rallies and announce the final results combined at the 8.18 party convention." Additionally, there was opposition to excluding supporters of minor parties such as the People Power Party and the Reform Innovation Party from the 30% public opinion poll reflected in the primary, citing concerns about preventing reverse voting. Baek said, "Even conceding a hundred times, the opinions of supporters of minor parties other than the People Power Party should have been included." Furthermore, regarding the election rules being established first, he said, "There should have been time to listen to and reflect the candidates’ opinions after the final candidates were confirmed," and urged a "reconsideration of the election implementation rules and election schedule."