Lee Jaemyung Wins Landslide in Democratic Party Chungcheong Primary... Kim Dongyeon Second, Kim Kyungsoo Third (Comprehensive)

Lee Jaemyung Wins 88% of Votes... Kim Dongyeon 7%, Kim Kyungsoo 4%
Lee: "I Will Do My Best to Build a New Nation"
Kim Dongyeon: "This Is Just the Beginning"... Kim Kyungsoo: "No Unification"

In the Chungcheong region, the first primary for selecting the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, former Democratic Party leader Lee Jaemyung took first place with 88.15% of the votes. Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, came in second, and former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyungsoo placed third.

Yonhap News

At the joint speech event for the Democratic Party’s Chungcheong regional primary, held at Cheongju Gymnasium in North Chungcheong Province on the afternoon of April 19, Park Beomgye, Chair of the Central Election Management Committee, announced that former leader Lee received 57,757 votes (88.15% of the total). Governor Kim Dongyeon received 4,883 votes (7.54%), and former Governor Kim Kyungsoo received 2,790 votes (4.31%).

This primary was conducted as a public participation primary, with 50% of the outcome determined by party members and 50% by a public opinion poll. Out of 111,863 eligible voters in the Chungcheong region, 64,730 valid votes were cast, resulting in a turnout of 57.87%.

After the conclusion of the Chungcheong regional primary, former leader Lee told reporters, "I am grateful for the overwhelming support from party members and delegates," and added, "I will do my best in the remaining schedule, taking to heart the people’s desire for a new nation."

When asked about plans for cooperation and power-sharing if elected, Lee stated, "Since we are still in the primary, not the main election, I will focus on doing my best to become the Democratic Party’s candidate." When questioned about the reasons for his victory, he replied, "While I do have some ideas about why people support me, I won’t go out of my way to mention them."

Governor Kim, who placed second in the Chungcheong primary, remarked, "This is just the beginning," and pledged, "I will do my best in the upcoming regional primaries and public opinion polls." Addressing criticism regarding his political skills and organizational strength, he said, "There are certainly areas where I am lacking, and I believe the various dynamics within the party have also played a role. I will work harder going forward."

Former Governor Kim Kyungsoo, who placed third, responded to questions about the possibility of unifying his candidacy with Governor Kim Dongyeon by saying, "I do not think unification holds much significance in this primary." He added, "During the remaining period, I will do my utmost to present my government experience, vision, and policies to the public and party members, and together with the other two candidates, I will strive for an overwhelming change of government."

Meanwhile, Cho Seungrae, chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party, stated, "The voter turnout for the Chungcheong regional primary was 57.87%, which, to my recollection, is higher than the turnout in the last presidential primary." He added, "This demonstrates the strong desire among our party members for a change of government and for our party to take power."

Starting with this Chungcheong regional primary, the Democratic Party will hold joint speech events and announce voting results for the Yeongnam region on April 20, the Honam region on April 26, and the Seoul metropolitan area on April 27. The final presidential candidate is scheduled to be confirmed on April 27. If no candidate secures a majority, a runoff will be held, and the candidate will be finalized on May 1.