DPK Publishes 21st Presidential Election White Paper... "Expanding Support Base with Pragmatic Policies"

A Historic Event: Ending the Democratic Rebellion
Building a Stable Foundation for Victory Remains a Challenge
Ruling Party: "A Milestone for Future Election Preparation"

On November 5, the Democratic Party of Korea published a white paper on the 21st presidential election, in which President Lee Jaemyung was elected, and presented its vision to win the people's support based on pragmatism and achievements.

That morning, the Democratic Party held a demonstration event for the 21st presidential election white paper, titled "The Real Korea Begins Now," at the party leader's conference room in the National Assembly. The white paper covers the election process, its significance and evaluation, and the activities of both the central and city/provincial election campaign committees.

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party, stated, "The record of our fight against the rebellion is meticulously documented. We have included all aspects of the election process without omission or embellishment," adding, "I believe this will serve as an excellent guidebook on the path to settling the rebellion and establishing a government based on national sovereignty."

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, receives the white paper from Cho Seungrye, Secretary General, at the launch event for the publication of the 21st presidential election white paper held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News

The Democratic Party described this early presidential victory as "a historic event that ended the democratic rebellion and restored the legitimacy of the Republic of Korea," and evaluated that President Lee's overwhelming win secured the legitimacy of overcoming the rebellion.

The party especially noted that it won in all regions except Yeongnam and among voters under 50, and that even in the 60-and-over age group and in Yeongnam, the gap with the People Power Party narrowed significantly compared to previous elections, confirming a broad support base.

As factors for victory, the party cited Lee Jaemyung's unwavering call for a change of government, the People Power Party's failure to overcome the legacy of impeachment, consistent campaign strategies focused on overcoming the rebellion and restoring livelihoods, a pragmatic rather than ideological approach, and scientifically targeted campaigning by age and region.

However, the party pointed out that expanding its support base remains a challenge. Despite the election being held immediately after the declaration of martial law and the impeachment of former President Yoon Sukyeol, President Lee failed to secure a majority, and the People Power Party candidate Kim Moonsu received a higher-than-expected vote share.

The Democratic Party noted in the white paper, "The gap in votes between the progressive camp (Lee Jaemyung + Kwon Youngguk) and the conservative camp (Kim Moonsu + Lee Junseok) was only 318,501, the smallest margin in the history of presidential elections," adding, "This indicates that a stable foundation for the Democratic Party's victory has yet to be established."

To address this, the party suggested pursuing national rather than partisan interests and policies, providing tailored solutions to issues faced by those in their 20s and 30s such as employment, marriage, and childcare, and presenting practical policy alternatives through communication with the 60-and-over age group. The party also emphasized its commitment to developing region-specific policies, noting that in Seoul and Chungcheong, excluding Yeongnam, the vote gap with conservative candidates was narrow or competitive.

The Democratic Party intends to use the recommendations in this white paper as policy and election strategies, aiming to expand support among unaffiliated and moderate voters and achieve a landslide victory in the June 3 local elections next year. Cho Seungrae, Secretary General of the Democratic Party and chairman of the 21st presidential election white paper publication committee, said, "The campaign activities, evaluations, and resources detailed here will serve as important milestones in preparing for future elections."