Jung Chungrae Appeals to Unaffiliated and Centrist Voters
Park Chandae, Backed by Lawmakers and Public Sentiment, Meets Party Members in Gyeonggi
Jung and Park Face Off in Final Televised Debate Before the National Convention Tonight
On July 29, which is four days before the Democratic Party of Korea's national convention and one day before online voting begins in all regions except Chungcheong and Yeongnam, party leader candidates Jung Chungrae and Park Chandae are each reaching out to demographic groups and individuals considered their relative weak points to appeal for support. In particular, as the final televised debate is being held on this day, both candidates are expected to intensify their competition to distinguish themselves.
On this day, Jung will meet with public officials and the Korean Federation of Public Services and Transportation Workers' Unions, while Park will hold a meeting with party members from Seongnam and Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, making last-minute appeals for votes. Jung is targeting public sentiment, while Park is focusing on winning over party members.
Park Chandae and Jung Chungrae, candidates for the Democratic Party of Korea's party leader, pose shaking hands before the start of the TV debate at the KBS New Building Public Hall in Yeouido, Seoul on July 27, 2025. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers.
As the national convention and online voting approach, both candidates are seeking to address their weaknesses by meeting with groups where their support is relatively low. In the Chungnam and Yeongnam regional primaries, Jung has a significant lead with a cumulative vote share of 62.65% (76,010 votes) compared to Park's 37.35% (45,310 votes). However, various opinion polls show that Jung's support among unaffiliated and centrist voters is lower than his overall numbers. Jung's schedule for the day appears to be aimed at attracting support from these unaffiliated and centrist groups.
In contrast, Park, who has relatively higher support among unaffiliated voters and enjoys the backing of Democratic Party lawmakers, is aiming for a comeback. Before his meeting with party members, Park held a press conference at the National Assembly's communication center, where he pledged to hold criminally accountable the 45 lawmakers who obstructed the arrest of former President Yoon Sukyeol, as well as the three leaders involved in the attempt to replace presidential candidates Kim Moonsu and Han Ducksoo at the time (Emergency Committee Chair Kwon Youngse, Floor Leader Kwon Seongdong, and Secretary-General Lee Yangsoo). Park stated, "I will use every means available?press conferences, meetings, phone calls, and more?to show who can end insurrection, accomplish reform tasks, and take responsibility as the ruling party leader. I will also ensure victory on Saturday."
On this night, the final televised debate will be held on MBC's 100-Minute Debate, where the two candidates are expected to engage in a decisive showdown. Since there will be no further official confrontations between the two after this debate, both must highlight their differences and competitiveness as much as possible. Given that both candidates advocated for strong reforms without direct criticism of each other in the first and second debates, negative campaigning is not expected.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party will elect its leader by combining 55% of the vote from dues-paying members, 15% from delegates, and 30% from a general public opinion poll. Online and ARS voting for dues-paying members will begin on July 30, while the opinion poll will start on July 31. The results will be announced at the national convention on August 2.
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