김민석 호남 - 정청래 수도권 “우위”…71% 승부처 ‘과반’ 총력전

As the 8·17 General Assembly of the Democratic Party approaches, the focus is turning to the decisive contest between the two leading candidates, Kim Min-seok and Chung Jae-myung, in the majority provinces of Hoseo and Seoul-Gyeonggi. Each candidate's camp believes they will secure a majority in their respective regions. Preliminary interviews with each candidate's team reveal that Hoseo is expected to back Kim Min-seok, while Seoul-Gyeonggi leans towards Chung Jae-myung.

From August 11 to 14, voting will take place in the regions of South Jeolla and North Jeolla, followed by the regions of Gyeonggi and Seoul from August 12 to 15. Together, these regions represent the approximately 152,000 party members, with Hoseo comprising around 33% (approximately 500,000) and the Seoul-Gyeonggi area accounting for 38% (approximately 580,000).

Kim Min-seok currently leads with 46.01% of the accumulated vote, slightly ahead of Chung Jae-myung's 44.53%. In the 12 regions that held previous elections (including Chungnam, Chungcheongbuk-do, Ulsan, Busan, Gyeongnam, Jeju, Incheon, Gangwon-do, Daegu, and P'yongan-do), only three regions achieved a majority vote. The winning candidates in these regions were Kim Min-seok in Sejong (50.28%), Chung Jae-myung in Jeju (52.64%), and Gangwon (50.30%).

The opposition candidate's MPs predict that the Hoseo region could narrow the gap to within 10% points, while the Seoul-Gyeonggi region may manage to reduce the difference to within a smaller margin. They believe that if Kim Min-seok can secure a 15-20% point lead in Hoseo, a majority win will be possible. During a press conference in Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province's Hall, Chung Jae-myung criticized Kim's remarks, stating that such behavior should be investigated, regardless of whether it was Kim Min-seok or himself making the claim.

He emphasized that both the party president and the candidate should be subject to investigation. Kim Min-seok, after losing the 6·3 local election, expressed frustration, lamenting that the results were not as favorable as he had anticipated and that the situation was regrettable for both President Lee Jae-myung and himself. He also teased that he would be challenging the upcoming 2027 Seoul mayor and Gangwon mayor recall elections, aiming to question his party's leadership's decision to allow a candidate to serve a second term.

Regarding the housing issue, Kim Min-seok acknowledged the concerns and stated that the nation needs a capable party president who can provide innovative solutions.