[Lee Jae-myung and Jeong Cheong-rae] "On the Ground, the Myung Faction vs. Cheong Faction Battle Is Already Underway"

The Main "Myung-Cheong Showdown" Has Yet to Begin
Expected to Intensify Ahead of Next Year's Local Election Nominations and Party Convention

Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is a “field-oriented” politician. His main profile photo on social media says it all. When he participates in volunteer activities such as flood recovery, he does not just go through the motions, but works as if it were his own responsibility. In this respect, he differs from President Lee Jae-myung, who is an “administrator type” politician, having served as mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi Province. Jeong, during his university years, served as chairman of the Committee for National Reunification at Konkuk University and is part of the so-called “586 Generation.” He was once arrested for occupying the U.S. ambassador’s residence. However, he was not a central figure among the “586 Generation.” Overshadowed by figures like Kim Min-seok, Song Young-gil, Woo Sang-ho, and Lee In-young, he was considered a “non-mainstream” member of the 586 group. But that is no longer the case. He is now the leader of the ruling party.

His ambition to become party leader is not new. As early as the 2022 presidential election, he declared, “After making Lee Jae-myung president, I will run for party leader.” He spent at least four years preparing for this role. During the last presidential election, he served as the joint chair of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Central Election Committee (Neighborhood Election Committee), tirelessly campaigning in every corner of Gwangju and Jeonnam, as part of a plan he had already mapped out in his mind. At that time, Jeong visited all 22 cities and counties in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions, holding 69 campaign events. He traveled an average of 288 kilometers per day. His wife’s family is from Jakseon-myeon, Gangjin-gun, Jeonnam, while he himself is from Geumsan, Chungnam. Both he and his wife Kim In-ok share the distinction of being the youngest of ten siblings.

President Lee Jae-myung, who attended the Group of Twenty (G20) summit and completed visits to four countries in Africa and the Middle East, arrived at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 26th and exchanged greetings with Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who came to welcome him. Photo by Yoon Dongju

President Lee and Leader Jeong, despite their differences as president and ruling party leader, as well as administrator and field-oriented politician, actually share more similarities. Both were once politically aligned with Chung Dong-young, both rose from non-mainstream to mainstream status, and both skillfully use social media to respond quickly to issues. Having grown from the grassroots without a political power base, they share a subtle sense of solidarity.

The issue arises from their respective political positions: one stands at the pinnacle of power as president, while the other aspires to reach it as party leader. There is a significant difference between the president, who must consider the whole, and the party leader, who must prioritize partisan interests. According to a Democratic Party official, “The two are on different tracks. Behind the scenes, there is already an under-the-radar battle between the Myung faction and the Cheong faction over nominations for next year’s local elections.” Oh Seung-yong, director at MetaVoice, commented, “Calling it a war is an exaggeration, but it is true that such a context exists.”

Kim Byung-ki, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (from left), Jung Cheong-rae, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, and Chief Secretary Kang Hoon-sik are arriving at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 26th to welcome President Lee Jae-myung, who is returning after attending the Group of Twenty (G20) summit and touring four countries in Africa and the Middle East. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo

At the party convention last August, Jeong competed against Assemblyman Park Chan-dae, winning the party member vote (66.48% to 33.52%) but losing the delegate vote (46.91% to 53.09%). Jeong staked everything on the party members. Since he is outnumbered among lawmakers and delegates, his political fate depends on the support of the party’s general membership. In political circles, it is believed that Jeong is drawing up a “roadmap” to extend his term as party leader next year and eventually run for president. The party leader elected in August next year will have the authority to nominate candidates for the 2028 general election-a structure that naturally concentrates power. It is at this point that the interests of the president, who is concerned about a “power drain,” and the party leader, decisively diverge. In this respect, the real “Myung-Cheong Battle” has yet to begin.