(2nd LD) Ex-PM Kim elected new head of ruling Democratic Party

Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok was elected as the new leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Monday, securing 54.08% of the votes in the central Daejeon city. This marks Kim's ascent to the helm of the party as it aims to advance President Lee Jae-myung's legislative agenda and prepare for the 2028 parliamentary elections.

Kim defeated Rep. Jung Chung-rae, who received 45.92% of the votes, in the party's national convention. In his acceptance speech, Kim pledged a creative horizontal partnership between the party and the presidential office, focusing on complete alignment and support for the president and government. The new leader also vowed to bring sweeping changes to the party, including its language, policies, attitude, and culture.

Kim, an ally of President Lee, stepped down as prime minister earlier this year to enter the leadership race. The election, held under the party's new ranked choice voting system, required candidates to secure at least one majority to win. None of the three candidates achieved this, leading to the final outcome based on the newly implemented one-person, one-vote system.

Kim's victory was anticipated after leading Jung in regional primaries, particularly in the Honam region, which accounts for one-third of the party's dues-paying members. Jung, a party hard-liner, faced criticism from some pro-Lee members for focusing more on appealing to hard-line supporters rather than coordinating closely with the president on crucial issues.

As the new DP chairman, Kim will steer the ruling party into the 2028 parliamentary elections and play a key role in advancing Lee's legislative goals. The DP currently holds 161 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, granting it enough seats to pass legislation without opposition support. The results of the 2028 parliamentary elections will significantly influence the extent of legislative momentum President Lee retains for the final two years of his term, which concludes in 2030.