김민석, ‘0.87%p’ 차이로 누적 1위 탈환…제주·인천서 정청래 제쳐

Kim Min-seok, the candidate from the Democratic Party, reclaimed the top spot with a margin of 0.87% after the joint election in Jeju and Incheon. While Chung Hee-park had led by 0.99% points in the previous regional elections in Chungcheong, Gangwon, and Busan, Kim Min-seok's victory in Jeju and Incheon pushed him ahead by 0.87% points.

The Democratic Party's Central Election Committee reported that Kim Min-seok received 22,537 votes (47.75%) from the regional voters in Jeju and Incheon, while Chung Hee-park received 19,862 votes (42.08%). Song Sang-hyun came in third with 4,799 votes (10.17%). Adding the results from the previous regional elections, Kim Min-seok's cumulative vote count is 76,844 votes (45.42%) and his cumulative vote rate is 44.56%.

Chung Hee-park's cumulative vote count is 75,380 votes (44.56%) and his cumulative vote rate is 44.56%. The difference in votes between Kim Min-seok and Chung Hee-park is 1,464 votes, and the difference in vote rates is 0.87% points. Kim Min-seok and Chung Hee-park have been locked in a tight race. Kim Min-seok had defeated Chung Hee-park in the previous results from Chungcheong, but after including the results from Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongju, Chung Hee-park narrowly trailed by 1,211 votes (0.99% points).

However, the current results do not include the weight of the 5% valid votes from strategic regions like Gyeongsang. The final results with the weighting will be announced on the 17th. The three candidates also engaged in heated debates during the joint press conference in Jeju and Incheon. Kim Min-seok said, "If I become the party leader, I will make a sincere effort to completely eliminate all conflicts within the party."

Chung Hee-park claimed, "The essence of this party conference is to judge the candidate who has divided the party into factions of right and left and accused of creating a sense of crisis." Song Sang-hyun remarked, "I have done everything I could during my last term. I don't need another term. Even if the bones are boiled three times, the water won't come out, so what else can I accuse of investigative reform?"

Meanwhile, the highest ranking candidate, Choi Min-hui, continues to fight for the top spot among candidates classified as close allies of the candidate. Including the results from the previous regional elections, Choi Min-hui received 71,140 votes (21.03%) and a cumulative vote rate of 16.80%. Next is Pak Seon-won (56,857 votes, 16.80%), Han Min-soo (48,892 votes, 14.45%), Seo Mi-hwa (47,767 votes, 14.12%), Kim Yong (42,770 votes, 12.64%), Yi Seong-yeon (39,550 votes, 11.69%) and Jang Mi-ae (22,560 votes, 5.99%), Kim Yong-ho (11,126 votes, 3.29%) receiving the most votes.