Jung Chung-rae Announces Bid for Party Leadership: "I Will Not Run for President, Will Protect President Lee"

Former Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae announced his candidacy for the party leadership at the National Assembly today (July 13), stating, "As I have done until now, I will stand by President Lee Jae-myung until the end with the party, government, and Blue House acting as one team with one voice."

During the press conference announcing his bid today, Jung stated, "The person who will remain loyal to President Lee Jae-myung until the end is me, Jung Chung-rae, who has always practiced putting the party before self."

"One can see the path forward by looking at the path taken," Jung said. "I will lay down everything and devote my heart and soul to ensure the stability of the Lee Jae-myung administration and the re-creation of the government."

He further emphasized, "I am a fool for the Democratic Party with a single heart. I have never left the Democratic Party since I joined."

These remarks are interpreted as being aimed at his competitor in the leadership race, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who was at the center of the 2002 "post-candidacy unification" crisis when he pushed for the unification of candidates Roh Moo-hyun and Chung Mong-joon during the presidential election.

Regarding criticism from within the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction that he pursued "personal politics" while emphasizing a clear reformist line during his previous term as leader, he indirectly refuted it by saying, "I met and communicated with President Lee Jae-myung in many ways while I was in office."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "I will not seek personal gain while performing the duties of party leader," adding, "I will not run for president using the party leader position."

When asked by reporters whether that meant he would not run for president even if the opportunity arose, he simply replied, "You may understand it as I have said."

"If entrusted with the role of party leader, I will support the core policies of the Lee Jae-myung administration," Jung said. "I will swiftly enact a special law for mega-projects and mobilize all the party's capabilities to support it."

Regarding the merger with the Rebuilding Korea Party, which was controversial during his previous term, he stated, "It failed due to strong opposition, but I still regret that we could not hold a vote among all party members. If I become party leader, I will ask for the opinion on a merger with the Rebuilding Korea Party through a vote of all party members."

He also added, "I will push for and complete the integration and solidarity of the pan-democratic and progressive forces, and achieve a total unity of competent progressive forces."

Regarding party management, he emphasized, "I will further strengthen the principle of party member sovereignty and carry out reformist nominations based on a party member sovereignty system for victory in the general election," adding, "I will finalize nomination candidates through a bottom-up democratic primary by party members."

Specifically regarding the Honam region, he said, "I will strengthen reformist nominations in Honam," and added, "I will continue organizations that were well-received during my term, such as the Special Committee for Honam Development, and do my best to build the Gwangju 5·18 Memorial Hall."

Along with this, he also unveiled a plan to allocate one appointed Supreme Council member position to a strategic region and to select one from among ordinary young party members to be appointed as a Supreme Council member.

Lawmakers Kim Young-hwan and Lee Sung-yoon were present at Jung's announcement.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.