Park: "Accomplishing Tasks as the Lee Jae Myung?Park Chan Dae One Team"
The Democratic Party's upcoming national convention, scheduled for August 2 to elect a new leader, is expected to become a direct contest between Park Chan Dae, former floor leader, and Jung Chung Rae, former Supreme Council member, both representing the pro-Lee Jae Myung faction.
Park, a three-term lawmaker who served as the Democratic Party's floor leader during the 12·3 Martial Law crisis and played a key role in the impeachment and presidential election victory, announced his bid for party leadership on June 23. He stated, "I hope the people and party members will join the Lee Jae Myung?Park Chan Dae one team, and the party-government one team."
On the morning of June 23, Park held a press conference at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, to declare his candidacy for party leader. He said, "The proven one team will continue to work as one to successfully accomplish the tasks assigned to the Lee Jae Myung administration and the Democratic Party." During the 2021 presidential election, Park served as the chief spokesperson for Lee Jae Myung’s campaign and the Democratic Party’s election committee, earning the nickname "Lee Jae Myung’s voice." He has also served as a Supreme Council member in Lee Jae Myung’s first leadership team, floor leader in Lee Jae Myung’s second leadership team, and chief election campaign committee chairman for the Democratic Party during the 21st presidential election.
In particular, after last year’s 22nd general election, Park became the Democratic Party’s first floor leader, taking on the role of acting party leader during consecutive crises such as the 12·3 Martial Law, the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, and the early presidential election. He is credited with serving as a central pillar within the party during these turbulent times.
Park pledged to strengthen the party-government relationship to the level of a true one team, support a special investigation for the complete end of the rebellion, promote reforms in the prosecution, judiciary, and media, establish a system for party member sovereignty and expand party member rights, and secure an overwhelming victory in next year’s local elections. Regarding calls for unity from various sectors of society, he stated, "I will prevent collusion disguised as unity," and emphasized, "Ending the rebellion is the fundamental prerequisite for the unity that the Lee Jae Myung administration seeks." Addressing the main opposition People Power Party, he said, "We will pursue sincere negotiations and reasonable compromise, but will cut off unreasonable demands and low-level deals."
With Park’s official declaration of his bid for party leadership, attention is now focused on the primary race. The Democratic Party is set to register candidates on July 10. Currently, it is widely expected that the contest will be between Jung Chung Rae and Park Chan Dae, both born in 1965. Even if other candidates enter the race, it is considered unlikely that the two-way structure will be disrupted.
Jung, the former Supreme Council member, has demonstrated strong and combative leadership as chairman of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee and as head of the impeachment committee against former President Yoon. Park is recognized for showing leadership at major political turning points and for his steady management of party affairs as floor leader.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party’s regional primary elections for the national convention will begin on July 19 in Chungcheong. They will continue in Yeongnam on July 20, Honam on July 26, Gyeonggi and Incheon on July 27, and finally in Seoul, Gangwon, and Jeju on August 2. According to party rules, the electoral college consists of 15% delegates, 55% dues-paying party members, and 30% general public.
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