Kim, Song Focus on Honam While Jung Targets Gyeongnam in Race for DP Leadership

The three candidates vying for the leadership of the Democratic Party (DP) went all-out to secure the hearts of party members today (July 25), marking their first weekend since advancing to the main primary.

While each candidate met with members to appeal for votes, they also kept each other in check.

The war of words between Candidate Kim and Candidate Jung over the alleged involvement of the Shincheonji religious sect continued on this day.

Candidate Kim delivered a lecture on the theme of a "Winning Democratic Party" at a general meeting of the party's political opinion group "Politics and Future" held at the National Assembly.

Park Yong-jin, vice chairperson of the Regulation Rationalization Committee, also attended the event.

During his lecture, Kim took aim at Candidate Jung, who served as the immediate past party leader, stating, "The uncomfortable truth is that the president ran as hard as possible for a year—to the point where it seemed impossible to work any harder—yet the elections did not yield results matching that effort."

He raised his voice, asking, "Can we win with a leadership that cannot go to Busan and does not go to Pyeongtaek? We must change and innovate."

Seemingly mindful of the "doomed-to-fail theory" claimed by writer Rhyu Si-min, he also asked rhetorically, "Where else can you find a reform-minded president like President Lee Jae-myung? What is wrong with embracing those who previously pursued conservative, centrist, or reformist paths if it helps the nation's growth, so that we can capture the center and win overwhelmingly in the next general and presidential elections?"

Kim is scheduled to head to Honam, considered a major battleground in this election, to receive a declaration of support from local Buddhist figures before browsing a night market to gauge grassroots sentiment.

Candidate Jung visited five regions consecutively—Yangsan, Gimhae, Changwon, Jinju, and Geoje in South Gyeongsang Province—to hold meetings with party members.

He was accompanied by supreme council candidates Choe Min-hee, Lee Seong-yun, and Han Min-su, who are aligned with the pro-Jung faction.

Targeting the past party departures of Candidates Kim and Song, Jung emphasized, "I have never left the party. Don't I at least have the qualification to talk about [reform] compared to those who left the party, let go of the banner of reform, or blurred the identity of the Democratic Party?"

He appealed, "Former President Roh Moo-hyun said that if you want to be treated like a human being, you must have loyalty. I will keep my loyalty to the Democratic Party, my loyalty to reform, my loyalty to unity, and my loyalty to President Lee. Please protect Jung Cheong-rae."

He also stressed, "We will raise the banner of reform higher," mentioning that an amendment to the Criminal Act centered on the "complete abolition of prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers" was endorsed as the party's official platform at the general meeting of lawmakers the previous day.

Candidate Song visited a traditional market in Wanju, North Jeolla Province, and held a meeting with young people, followed by consecutive visits to Imsil, Sunchang, and Namwon for member meetings.

Song criticized Jung, saying, "I feel like we could accomplish a tremendous amount if President Lee and I worked hand in hand, but it drives me crazy that the ruling party leader and the president are fighting."

He pointed out, "When writer Rhyu criticized President Lee close to the point of cursing, only Jung Cheong-rae stayed silent with a 'no comment.' It remains unclear whether that meant agreement."

Furthermore, citing his past experience of being imprisoned on charges of accepting illegal political funds and later being acquitted with a finalized ruling, he appealed to Honam voters by saying, "I fought the prosecutors and survived to return here. Please grab my hand in Honam."

Song also soothed local sentiment that has been shaken by the "Jeonbuk alienation theory" following the government's recent announcement of the "three mega-projects."

He stated, "Some of you might have been disappointed to hear that 800 trillion won is suddenly being invested in Gwangju, but there is no need for that. I will connect these projects well."

Meanwhile, Candidates Kim and Jung continued their battle over the "Shincheonji intervention theory" on this day.

In his lecture, Candidate Kim claimed, "This is a fight that is disadvantageous to me in every way, but I raised the issue because of my conviction that if it is necessary for history, justice, and the Republic of Korea, what must be addressed must be addressed."

He added, "This issue has now entered the public sphere. Together with you, we will find a dignified solution from the Democratic Party so that it can be handled within the party's domain."

Kim also encouraged party members with voting rights to participate, urging, "Difficult attacks, difficult stumbling blocks, and unknown shadows can shake our national convention. There is only one way to overcome this: vote across the board."

In fact, within parts of the party, a "100% All-Member Voting Campaign Headquarters" has been launched, co-headed by actors Lee Gi-young and Lee Won-jong, along with Ahn Jin-geol, director of the Civil Livelihood Economy Institute.

In contrast, Candidate Jung counterattacked on Facebook, stating, "There has never been a case of success built on negativity and political conspiracy theories. Slandering opponents harms the community and puts the party at risk."

In another post, quoting Article 20, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution—which states that "no state religion shall be recognized, and church and state shall be separate"—he emphasized, "The organized political intervention of religion is unconstitutional, and the correct answer is to root it out and block it at the source."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.