Jeong Cheongrae Elected as New Democratic Party Leader with Landslide 61.74% Victory

Jeong Cheongrae, a four-term lawmaker, has been elected as the new leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Jeong Cheongrae, the Democratic Party leader candidate, is delivering a policy speech at the 2nd Extraordinary National Party Members' Convention held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on August 2, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

On August 2, Jeong was elected with 61.74% of the votes in the party leadership race held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, during the 2nd Extraordinary National Party Members’ Convention. Park Chandae, the other candidate for party leader, received 38.26% of the votes.

The ranking in this party leadership election was determined by combining 15% of the delegates’ votes, 55% of the rights-holding party members’ votes, and 30% from a public opinion poll. Jeong led by a significant margin in both the rights-holding party members’ vote and the public opinion poll, except for the delegates’ vote.

In the by-election for the Supreme Council member, which was held after former Supreme Council member Kim Minseok was nominated as Prime Minister and resigned, Hwang Myungseon, who ran unopposed, was confirmed through a vote for or against.