Seoul, April 19 (IANS) — Lee Jae-myung, the former leader of South Korea’s Democratic Party (DP), has secured a resounding victory in the party’s first regional primary held in the central Chungcheong region, strengthening his position as the leading liberal contender in the upcoming June 3 presidential election.
According to party officials, Lee captured an overwhelming 88.15% of the total vote in Saturday’s primary, which covered South and North Chungcheong provinces, as well as the cities of Daejeon and Sejong. He decisively defeated his two rivals: Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon, who garnered 7.54%, and former South Gyeongsang Governor Kim Kyung-soo, who received 4.31%.
The commanding win all but sets the stage for Lee to officially become the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. The party is scheduled to conduct three more regional primaries before making its final selection on April 27, according to Yonhap news agency.
Speaking to reporters after the results, Lee expressed gratitude and reaffirmed his mission: “I will uphold the people’s aspiration to build a new nation.”
Lee announced his presidential bid last week, pledging to become “the best tool” to create a “true Korea” while emphasizing economic revitalization and inclusive development.
The upcoming election comes under extraordinary circumstances following the ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office after declaring short-lived martial law in December. The move sparked national outrage, deepened political divisions, and ultimately led to Yoon becoming South Korea’s second president to be formally removed by the Constitutional Court — following Park Geun-hye’s impeachment in 2017.
Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential race, is now seen as a frontrunner to shape the country’s next political chapter.
Recent Random Post:
