Key facts
- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) will announce three candidates for its leadership race.
- The selection process involves votes from central committee members, dues-paying members, and public opinion polls.
- Five candidates are vying for the leadership positions.
- The party's national convention to elect a new leader is scheduled for August 17.
- The new leader will be instrumental in selecting candidates for the 2028 parliamentary elections.
SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) was set to announce the top three candidates to advance to the main race for the party leadership on Thursday, ahead of the party's national convention scheduled for next month. The selection process will determine three finalists from a field of five candidates based on a weighted voting system. This system allocates 35 percent of the vote to the party's central committee members, another 35 percent to dues-paying members, and the remaining 30 percent to public opinion poll results.
The five candidates vying for the leadership are former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, former DP leader Jung Chung-rae, and lawmakers Song Young-gil and Ko Min-jung, along with former Gangjin councilmember Kim Bo-mi. Additionally, eight out of fourteen candidates will be selected for the party's supreme council.
The DP plans to hold its national convention on August 17 to elect a new leader. This individual will be crucial in overseeing the nomination of candidates for the April 2028 parliamentary elections. Jung Chung-rae, a four-term lawmaker, is widely expected to be among the top three contenders. However, he has faced criticism for appealing to his hard-line supporters rather than fully backing President Lee Jae Myung. Kim Min-seok, a key political ally of President Lee and the first prime minister under the current administration, is also competing. Kim has pledged to support the Lee administration and reform the party, noting its failure to leverage President Lee's public approval despite recent local election wins.