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The Democratic Party leadership race in South Korea has intensified as Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae publicly endorsed former party leader Chung Cheong-rae ahead of the August 17 national convention. According to reports from the Gyeonggi Ilbo, Governor Choo posted a supportive message on Facebook on August 11, declaring Chung an “reform comrade” and urging him to maintain his focus on provincial governance while she continues legislative reform efforts from party headquarters.
Governor Choo’s Endorsement Draws Backlash from Lawmakers
Governor Choo’s open backing of candidate Chung drew swift criticism from several party members who argue that a regional executive should remain neutral during internal party elections. According to SBS Radio interviews cited by local media, Representative Park Ji-won stated that a metropolitan government head making a public endorsement is inappropriate. Representative Yang Bu-nam echoed these concerns in a YTN Radio interview, noting that no other local government heads have offered similar public support and that most Democratic Party lawmakers view the intervention as improper.
Tightening Race as Capital Region Voting Begins
The controversy unfolds just as online voting for the capital region—encompassing Gyeonggi and Seoul—begins on August 12. With approximately 70% of total regular party members concentrated in Honam and the metropolitan area, the upcoming ballots are expected to decide the outcome of the leadership contest. Cumulative unweighted voting tallies place candidate Kim Min-seok in the lead with 46.01%, totaling 9만5천821표 votes. Challenger Chung Cheong-rae follows closely with 44.53% or 9만2천735표 votes, trailing by just 1.48 percentage points and 3천86표 votes, while candidate Song Young-gil holds 9.47% with 1만9천715표 votes.
Fierce Competition for Highest Committee Seats
Beyond the party leadership showdown, competition remains fierce for the final spots on the highest committee. Pro-Chung figures Choi Min-hee and Han Min-su currently secure the first and third positions, respectively, while pro-Lee Jae-myung faction members Park Sun-won and Seo Mi-hwa occupy the second and fourth spots. The crucial fifth-place cutoff features a tight race between pro-Lee candidate Kim Yong and pro-Chung candidate Lee Seong-yun, separated by a margin of only 0.77 percentage points in cumulative tallies.