Cumulative Vote Share at 89.04% and "Dominance Theory"
Kim Dong Yeon at 6.54%, Kim Kyoung Soo at 4.42%
Lee Jae Myung, former leader and presidential pre-candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 26th regarding his landslide victory in the Honam regional primary with a vote share close to 90%, "I believe the people of Honam have given me even greater expectations and responsibility."
Lee Jae Myung, former leader and presidential pre-candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving a speech at the "Joint Speech Meeting for the Selection of Candidates for the 21st Presidential Election in the Honam Region" held on the 26th at the Kim Dae Jung Convention Center in Seo-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Joint Press Corps Yonhap News
Lee made this remark when asked by reporters about his thoughts on winning the Honam regional primary after completing the regional tour primary held at the Kim Dae Jung Convention Center in Gwangju on the same day.
In the Honam regional tour primary held at the Kim Dae Jung Convention Center in Gwangju, Lee secured a decisive victory with 88.69% of the vote in the Honam regional voting by party members with voting rights and national delegates, further solidifying his frontrunner status. Lee's cumulative vote share in the primaries stands at 89.04%.
Regarding the relatively lower voter turnout in the Honam regional primary compared to the Chungcheong and Yeongnam regions, Lee explained, "Since the number of party members is so large, the turnout rate may be somewhat lower, but the absolute number of party member voters has actually increased." He added, "I hope people will take that into consideration as well."
When asked how he would respond to the so-called 'Honam neglect theory,' Lee said, "Honam has faced many difficulties due to the misguided divide-and-rule strategy of conservative administrations," and emphasized, "The single-pole system centered on the capital region is highly inefficient for national development, so we need to invest more in local areas." He further added, "Balanced national development is not simply about consideration for local regions, but an unavoidable choice for our country to continue growing and developing."
When asked about his stance on the anti-discrimination law, Lee stated, "It is only natural that there should be no discrimination," but also said, "Since there is much debate and misunderstanding about such issues in many parts of society, I think more dialogue and social consensus are needed."
Kim Dong Yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, who came in second in the Honam primary with 14,889 votes, said, "I humbly and resolutely accept the decision of my fellow party members," and added, "I will not be discouraged and will do my best in the capital region primary tomorrow." Kim also stated, "It is unhealthy for the Democratic Party when nearly 90% of the votes are concentrated on a single candidate," and added, "I am fighting to the end on an uneven playing field. For a change greater than just a change of administration, the Democratic Party must become a bigger party with more dynamism and diversity."
Kim Kyoung Soo, former Governor of South Gyeongsang Province, who placed third with 7,830 votes, said, "Although there has been an overwhelmingly supported candidate from the start in this primary, I believe the process has been policy-focused, free of negative campaigning, and has increased our competitiveness for the presidential election." He added, "Everyone must unite around the selected candidate so that the Democratic Party can achieve an overwhelming change of administration."
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party will hold a joint speech event for the Gangwon, capital region, and Jeju regions at KINTEX in Ilsan, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, the following day, concluding the regional tour primary schedule. The final presidential candidate will be selected at this event.
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