Jung Chung-rae Announces Bid for Consecutive Term as Party Leader; Tensions Rise Over Selection Method

[Anchor]

Former Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae has announced his bid for a consecutive term. With only two days left until candidate registration for the party leadership begins, the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction and the pro-Jung faction remain at odds over the selection method.

Reporter Park Jae-yeon has the story.

[Reporter]

On July 13, three days before the Democratic Party's August 17 national convention candidate registration, former party leader Jung Chung-rae officially declared his bid for a consecutive term.

Seemingly conscious of criticisms regarding conflicts between the party and the presidential office during his tenure, he emphasized a "one-team" spirit, mentioning President Lee Jae-myung 31 times.

[Jung Chung-rae/Former Democratic Party Leader: I am confident that I am the person who will protect President Lee Jae-myung until the end.]

He also highlighted the completion of prosecution reforms, such as the full abolition of supplementary investigation rights, while taking a jab at his leadership rival, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok.

[Jung Chung-rae/Former Democratic Party Leader: I have never left the party, and I have never betrayed it. I believe I have more differentiation and competitiveness than others.]

Former Prime Minister Kim and former party leader Song Young-gil, who had already announced their bids for the party leadership, both criticized the former leader.

[Kim Min-seok/Former Prime Minister: You all know when the party wavers and which path leads to mistakes. I believe we are at such a critical juncture now.]

[Song Young-gil/Former Democratic Party Leader: How can it be that the headlines are dominated by the "Myeong-Cheong War," where the leader of the ruling party and the President are fighting after just one year?]

However, the conflict between the pro-Lee faction, which supports a "preferential voting system" if no candidate secures a majority, and the pro-Jung faction, which opposes it, remains unresolved.

The leadership held a meeting on the night of July 12, but failed to reach an agreement. As the meeting scheduled for today was canceled due to persistent disagreements, voices of criticism have emerged.

[Ko Min-jung/Democratic Party Lawmaker (MBC Radio 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus'): From the public's perspective, it does not matter at all whether it is a preferential voting system or a runoff voting system.]

The Democratic Party leadership plans to conclude discussions on the primary method by tomorrow, the day before candidate registration begins.

(Video coverage: Oh Young-chun, Kim Yong-woo | Video editing: Lee Seung-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.