Kim Min-seok, Cumulative Vote Rate Also Exceeds Half… 14%p Ahead of Jung Cheong-rae

Kim Min-seok, the candidate who contested in the 8·17 party congress, secured a significant victory by surpassing Chung Hoa Kyung with a substantial 14% lead in the voting. He garnered 57.54% of the votes cast in the joint regional primary election, held on August 15th, in the cities of Gwangju and Jeonju in the southern region of South Korea. His rival, Chung Hoa Kyung, received 32.65% of the votes.

This decisive lead marks a substantial shift in voter preference, with Kim Min-seok's cumulative vote share rising to 52.2% and his opponent's dropping to 38.14%. This change in voting pattern is attributed to the strong backing Kim Min-seok received from the rural population, particularly in the heavily populated provinces of the southeastern part of the country. Kim Min-seok's total vote count amounts to 239,127, which constitutes 52.21% of the total votes.

Chung Hoa Kyung's share of the cumulative votes stands at 17,176, accounting for 38.14% of the total. The margin between the two candidates has expanded from just 1.48% (3,086 votes) two weeks ago to a significant 14.07% (63,360 votes) after accounting for the votes from the southern regions. Song Ho's third-place finish saw him collect 4,346 votes, representing 9.65% of the total.

Upon receiving the news of his victory, Kim Min-seok expressed his gratitude for the support of the rural population and pledged to give his all to ensure the success of the government led by President Jeam-myung. He stated, "My deep respect for the people's choice in the southeastern region is evident." Chung Hoa Kyung, on the other hand, acknowledged the voters' decision and expressed his willingness to accept it, stating, "The choice of the southeastern region is always right. I will be humble in accepting it."