Jung Chung-rae (left), former Democratic Party of Korea leader, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Assembly member Song Yeong-gil attend a Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers' workshop at a hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Friday. [Yonhap]
Jung Chung-rae (left), former Democratic Party of Korea leader, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and Assembly member Song Yeong-gil attend a Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers' workshop at a hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Friday. [Yonhap]

Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is expected to formally announce his candidacy for the Democratic Party of Korea leadership around Monday at a site in the newly merged South Jeolla Province-Gwangju special city, sources said Saturday.

Kim's camp said Saturday that the timing and venue of the announcement are still under review and that details will be announced once finalized.

A military airfield in Gwangju is the leading candidate for the declaration venue, sources said. Kim, who rejoined the party on July 1, appears to have chosen the Gwangju military airfield to appeal to party members in the Honam region, his core base of support.

The choice is also seen as a signal of his intent to immediately support the Lee Jae Myung government's policy agenda if elected party leader. The South Jeolla Province-Gwangju special city was inaugurated on July 1 as the first case of administrative integration pursued by the Lee government to promote balanced national development.

The Gwangju military airfield is also under consideration as a candidate site for a semiconductor fabrication plant — a fab — planned as part of the Lee government's mega-project initiative. President Lee Jae Myung visited the airfield on June 30 following a public briefing on a vision for advanced industry development in the southwestern region.

Kim is also considering holding a second announcement event that afternoon at Gwanghwamun in Seoul, sources said.


spa@heraldcorp.com