Democratic Party of Korea leadership candidates Song Young-gil (left), Jung Chung-rae and Kim Min-seok hold events Monday at South Chungcheong Province's provincial office, an urban regeneration hub in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, and Sejong City Hall, respectively. [Newsis]
Democratic Party of Korea leadership candidates Song Young-gil (left), Jung Chung-rae and Kim Min-seok hold events Monday at South Chungcheong Province's provincial office, an urban regeneration hub in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, and Sejong City Hall, respectively. [Newsis]

With the Democratic Party of Korea's Aug. 17 national convention approaching, rank-and-file member voting opened Tuesday amid an intensifying three-way leadership race. The three candidates — Song Young-gil, Jung Chung-rae and Kim Min-seok, listed in ballot order — are concentrating their schedules on the Chungcheong region and the Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang corridor, where the first rounds of the regional primary circuit are set to begin.

Song focused his Tuesday schedule on the Chungcheong region, holding a member meeting in Chungju, a town hall with the North Chungcheong provincial party chapter and another town hall with Daejeon members. On Monday, he held a press conference at South Chungcheong Province's provincial office before visiting the Yu Gwan-sun Memorial Hall and the birthplace of independence activist Lee Dong-nyeong in Cheonan, then met with members from South Chungcheong Province and Sejong. "The wind blowing from Chungcheong will determine the entire national convention," Song said.

Jung began his Tuesday schedule with a visit to the grave of the late Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan in Sejong, then met with Sejong Mayor Jo Sang-ho before holding a member meeting in the city. On Monday, he held meetings with members in Ulsan and Daejeon. In a Facebook post, Jung highlighted his regional ties, writing: "Vote and we win. Jung Chung-rae — born in Chungcheong, raised in Daejeon."

Kim launched a grueling Tuesday with a morning greeting at a Geoje shipyard, followed by a meeting with the Hanwha Ocean labor union. He then delivered a lecture to rank-and-file members in Changwon and visited the construction site of Gadeokdo New Airport. On Monday, Kim made back-to-back stops in Sejong, Cheongju and Ulsan.

Analysts say the regional primary results carry more weight than ever at this convention, as it marks the first time a one-person, one-vote system will give rank-and-file members equal standing with delegates. Each campaign is closely watching the Chungcheong region, whose results will be announced first, for the ripple effect they may have on other regions.

The candidates are packing their on-the-ground schedules ahead of the Chungcheong and Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang regional primaries because rank-and-file member voting takes place before the convention events themselves.

For the Chungcheong regional primary — covering Daejeon, South Chungcheong Province, Sejong and North Chungcheong Province — the convention event is set for Aug. 1, but online voting runs Tuesday through Wednesday, and automated response system (ARS) voting runs Thursday through Friday. The Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang regional primary is scheduled for Aug. 2, with online voting from Wednesday through Thursday and ARS voting from Friday through Aug. 1.

Members in Jeju and Incheon are scheduled to vote Aug. 4–8, those in Gangwon Province, Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province from Aug. 5–8, those in South Jeolla Province, Gwangju and North Jeolla Province from Aug. 11–14, and members in Gyeonggi Province and Seoul from Aug. 12–15. A campaign official for one of the candidates described the internal mood, saying that unlike in the past when in-person voting took place at the events, candidates now arrive at regional convention stops after online and ARS voting has already closed, leaving floor speeches with somewhat less impact.


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