Kim Kyungsoo Makes Last Appeal for Support: "Let's Build a Country Where the People Are the Owners Together"

Democratic Party Holds Regional Primaries in Capital Area, Gangwon, and Jeju
Kim: "I Will Return State Institutions to the People"

Kim Kyungsoo, former governor of South Gyeongsang Province and a preliminary candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential nomination, called for support on the 27th ahead of the regional primaries in the capital area (Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon) as well as Gangwon and Jeju. He urged, "Let us move forward with Kim Kyungsoo toward a country where the people, not the administration, hold the real power."

On this day, Kim wrote on social media, "They sacrificed the people to protect their administration. The prosecution became a sword for those in power, the police remained silent, the Board of Audit and Inspection became a servant of power, and the military leadership looked to power instead of the people," adding, "The powerless people have always borne the brunt of the damage."

He continued, "We will remember and pledge never to forget the broken lives, the justice that was crushed, and the truth that was ignored," promising, "I will return the power of state institutions to the people." This appears to be an effort to rally last-minute support amid the dominant lead of former party leader Lee Jaemyung.

Kim Kyungsoo, a preliminary candidate in the 21st presidential election primary of the Democratic Party of Korea, is delivering opening remarks at a debate held at the OhmyTV studio in Yeouido, Seoul on the 23rd. 2025.4.23 Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

The Democratic Party will hold its final primary on the afternoon of the 27th at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and may select its candidate for the early presidential election scheduled for June 3 as early as today. With a support rate close to 90% so far, former leader Lee's advancement to the main election appears highly likely.

The Democratic Party selects its final candidate by combining 50% of the cumulative votes from party members and delegates with 50% from a general public opinion poll. If any preliminary candidate secures a majority of the votes in the tally, that candidate is confirmed as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee without a runoff.

As of now, former leader Lee leads the cumulative vote tally with 89.04%. Preliminary candidate Kim Dongyeon is in second place with 6.54%, and Kim Kyungsoo is in third with 4.42%.