Candidates Vie for Party Support Two Days Before Primary Cutoff; Calls to Lower Deposit Fees

[Anchor]

With the Democratic Party's preliminary primary just two days away, candidates for party leadership are focusing all their efforts on securing the support of party members. The issue of the significantly increased deposit fees for party leader and supreme council member candidates has also come under scrutiny, with President Lee Jae-myung personally proposing to the party that the amounts be lowered.

Reporter Kim Kwan-jin has the story.

[Reporter]

Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok visited Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, the hometown of President Lee Jae-myung, this morning (July 19). He stated that "President Lee has already planted the seeds of hope," and that he intends to "add water to help them grow."

In the afternoon, he met with party members in Busan.

[Kim Min-seok/Former Prime Minister: I will realize both the unity of the party and the expansion of its outreach.]

Former Party Leader Jung Chung-rae announced that Kim Jung-ok, the spouse of the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, would serve as the chair of his fundraising committee.

[Jung Chung-rae/Former Democratic Party Leader: She has agreed to serve as the fundraising committee chair for my campaign for party leader.]

He added a pledge to make the Democratic Party a more reform-oriented party by upholding the "Lee Hae-chan spirit."

Representative Song Young-gil, who paid his respects at the grave of former President Roh Moo-hyun, emphasized a party leadership that works in close consultation with the Lee Jae-myung administration.

[Song Young-gil/Democratic Party Representative: I will build a Democratic Party where the process is fair and the results are just, to support the Lee Jae-myung administration...]

Representative Ko Min-jung, who visited Gwangju, emphasized the creation of a young leadership that moves beyond factional politics.

[Ko Min-jung/Democratic Party Representative (KBC News Maker): (Party members) have criticized that they only see player Lee Jae-myung on the wide soccer field, and ask where all the other players have gone.]

Former Gangjin County Council member Kim Bo-mi called for a generational shift, criticizing the so-called 86 generation.

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For the Democratic Party's main national convention, candidates for party leader must pay a deposit of 100 million won, while candidates for supreme council member must pay 50 million won.

These amounts have increased by 60 million won and 35 million won, respectively, compared to one year ago.

President Lee Jae-myung posted on social media today, requesting that the party review ways to return the deposit fees to their previous levels.

While candidates outside the party aged 39 or younger receive a 50% discount, the President noted that "the burden remains significant," adding that "being unable to run for office due to money increases the temptation for corruption."

Regarding reactions from some within the party questioning whether this constitutes support for pro-Lee candidates or interference in party affairs, the Blue House refuted the claims, stating, "The President simply expressed his opinion as a party member concerned that the deposit fees had risen too high."

The Democratic Party's election management committee is scheduled to re-discuss the deposit fee issue the day after tomorrow.

Reported by Kim Kwan-jin | Video by Oh Young-chun | Video Editing by Wi Won-yang | Footage courtesy of Ko Min-jung TV, Jung Chung-rae TV Tteotda! | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.