Lee Jae-myung leads the Democratic Party of Korea’s presidential primary with an overwhelming share of votes. On Sunday, he secured 90.81 percent in North and South Gyeongsang provinces. These victories marked another dominant performance for the former party chair.
His two challengers, Kim Kyung-soo and Kim Dong-yeon, trailed with just 5.93 and 3.26 percent respectively. Despite being high-profile figures, they have struggled to gain traction.
Lee Jae-myung leads in voter preference due to strong campaign promises. While in the conservative Gyeongsang region, he pledged to move the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan. He also vowed to build industry clusters for batteries and cars in Daegu.
Meanwhile, Kim Kyung-soo promised to relocate the Korea Development Bank to Busan. Kim Dong-yeon focused on creating megacities outside Seoul to ease population pressure.
Lee’s campaign gained more ground on Saturday. In the North and South Chungcheong provinces, he won 88.15 percent of the votes. His rivals fell behind once again, gaining only 7.54 and 4.31 percent.
Celebrating the Chungcheong win, his team called it a sign of independent voter support. “Chungcheong chose Lee Jae-myung with overwhelming support,” said campaign spokesperson Rep. Kang Yu-jung.
In his speech, Lee promised to “create a new South Korea” under the slogan, “real Korea begins now.” His message continues to resonate with long-time party members and loyal supporters.
The Democratic Party’s primary includes both long-term members and nonpartisan voters. Half the voting power comes from registered members, while the rest comes from the general public. However, Lee’s rivals criticized this system for favoring him.
They argued that Democratic Party members already support Lee Jae-myung, which puts others at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, the People Power Party’s open primary welcomes all eligible voters, regardless of affiliation.
Currently, Lee Jae-myung leads the national polls as well. A Gallup Korea poll from April 15-17 showed 38 percent of voters supported him for president. His closest conservative rivals each gained around 7 percent.
The Democratic Party will name its official nominee on April 27. The People Power Party will follow on May 3. South Korea’s presidential election is set for June 3.
