Democratic Party Leader Jung Chungrae: "I Will Serve the Will of the People and Party Members Like the Sky and Dedicate Myself Fully" (Comprehensive)

On August 2, newly elected Democratic Party leader Jung Chungrae stated, "I will serve the will of the people and party members as if it were the sky, and I will dedicate myself fully as the leader of the Democratic Party."

Jung made these remarks in his acceptance speech after being elected as party leader at the 2nd Democratic Party Emergency National Party Members' Convention held at KINTEX in Ilsan, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on the afternoon of August 2. He said, "My election as party leader is the victory of the party members, who are the true owners of the Democratic Party and who long for an era of party member sovereignty."

Jung also said, "Whether you voted for Park Chandae or for Jung Chungrae, we are all Democratic Party members and we are one. No one will be disadvantaged for supporting candidate Park, and I will ensure balanced appointments."

He continued, "Park Chandae and Jung Chungrae will not part ways. I will implement the good pledges of candidate Park. As I have done until now, I will join hands with candidate Park to ensure the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration."

Jung is a four-term senior lawmaker and is classified as a pro-Lee Jaemyung figure. In the party leader election at the convention, he won a landslide victory with 61.74% of the votes, defeating Park Chandae, who received 38.26%, by a wide margin. Although Jung's vote share did not reach the 85.4% and 77.77% achieved by President Lee Jaemyung in last year's and the 2022 conventions, respectively, it was higher than the 60.77% received by former leader Lee Nakyon in the 2020 convention. This party leader election determined the final ranking by combining 15% of the delegates' vote, 55% of the rights-holding party members' vote, and 30% of the general public opinion poll.

Upon taking office, Jung declared that he would complete the three major reforms?prosecution, media, and judiciary?before Chuseok this year.

He also stated that the party would focus all its efforts on winning next year's local elections, saying, "I will put everything on the line."

He added, "I will do my utmost to ensure the success of President Lee Jaemyung's policy decisions. The credit will go to the president, and I will shoulder the burdens. For difficult, unpleasant, and contentious matters, I will take the lead and set an example."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "Just as the French Republic was not built on tolerance, we must eradicate the forces of insurrection. The ringleader of the insurrection, Yoon Sukyeol, and his accomplices must be thoroughly punished and held accountable."

He went on to say, "Just as I led the party decisively as a member of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, I will do the same now. Tomorrow, I will rush again to the flood recovery sites."

Meanwhile, in the by-election for Supreme Council member held to fill the vacancy left by former Supreme Council member Kim Minseok, who was appointed as Prime Minister, Hwang Myungseon, the sole candidate, was elected.