'Ruling Party Supreme Council By-election' Jeong Cheongrae: "One Team, One Voice Regardless of Winner"... Stresses One Person, One Vote

Joint Speech Session for Ruling Party Supreme Council By-Election

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, appeared to be conscious of the pro-Lee Jae-myung (pro-Lee) versus pro-Jeong Cheongrae (pro-Jeong) dynamic in the party's Supreme Council by-election, stating, "No matter which of the four candidates becomes a Supreme Council member, I promise that we will support the Lee Jae-myung administration as one team and with one voice."

Yonhap News Agency

At the joint campaign speech for the Supreme Council by-election candidates held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido on January 11, Jeong said, "There are media outlets and people who spread various negative narratives because they hope or wish that the Democratic Party becomes weaker or makes mistakes," and conveyed his remarks accordingly.

In this Supreme Council by-election, Kang Deukgu and Lee Sungyoon, considered pro-Lee candidates, and Moon Jeongbok and Lee Sungyoon, classified as pro-Jeong candidates, ran for office. Yoo Dongcheol, Executive Chair of the Democratic Party National Innovation Conference and a pro-Lee candidate, withdrew from the race midway.

On this day, Jeong once again emphasized the "one person, one vote" system, which had previously failed to be implemented. He stated, "We call the era when a single person made all the decisions the age of absolute monarchy," adding, "The development of democracy is a process in which the number of people participating in decision-making evolves from a few to many, and from many to all members."

Jeong continued, "In that sense, although the Democratic Party is not perfect, it has continuously expanded the number of voters participating in its decision-making process," and stressed, "Now, there is a strong will among party members to implement one person, one vote within the Democratic Party." In this by-election, each voter can cast ballots for two candidates, and the results are weighted 50% by Central Committee members and 50% by dues-paying party members.

Jeong praised the candidates, saying, "Although one of the four Supreme Council candidates will not be elected, given the high voter turnout and the strong campaigns of all four, I already consider all of them winners."

He added, "Although the candidates have different numbers and names, we all share a single goal: the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration. We have come this far with one voice for victory in the June 3 local elections and party unity. The Democratic Party will contest the June 3 local elections under a single party banner for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration."

Online and ARS voting for the Supreme Council by-election will continue until 4:00 p.m. on January 11.