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Democratic Party primaries become a prelude to leadership race

Published: 17 Apr. 2026, 00:03

Kang Chan-ho

The author is an editorial writer of the JoongAng Ilbo.

The Democratic Party’s candidate selection process for upcoming local elections is increasingly being seen as a prelude to its August national convention, as factional rivalries shape outcomes and raise concerns about fairness and consistency.

Rep. Lee Won-taeg, confirmed last week as the party’s candidate for North Jeolla governor, was reported to authorities just before the primary over allegations involving a meal expense. He is suspected of asking a provincial council member to pay several hundred thousand won for a meal with young party members in November last year. The cost was allegedly covered using both official committee funds and personal money. Despite the controversy, the party proceeded with the primary after conducting a single round of phone inquiries with the two individuals involved and concluding that there was no violation.

Rep. An Ho-young (left), who is on a hunger strike demanding a reinvestigation into allegations that a third party covered meal expenses after losing the North Jeolla gubernatorial primary to Rep. Lee Won-taeg, speaks with incumbent North Jeolla Gov. Kim Kwan-young at Ahn’s protest site in front of the National Assembly main building on April 13. [YONHAP]

In contrast, incumbent North Jeolla Gov. Kim Kwan-young was expelled from the party on the same day following allegations that envelopes of cash were distributed to cover chauffeur service fees. The party convened a late-night Supreme Council meeting and moved swiftly to remove him. The starkly different responses have fueled criticism that the party applied inconsistent standards, depending on the individual involved.

Lee Won-taeg is widely regarded as aligned with party leader Jung Chung-rae, while Gov. Kim had been categorized within the pro–Lee Jae Myung faction. Former party leader Song Young-gil, a key figure among pro-Lee lawmakers, visited Jeonju late last month and met both Rep. An Ho-young and Kim, encouraging consolidation behind Kim as a single pro-Lee candidate. Soon after that visit, the allegations involving Kim surfaced, followed by his expulsion, leading to questions about the timing of events.

According to a report by KBS, Jung opposed calls from some party leaders to delay the primary over the meal expense controversy. He reportedly argued that postponing the vote after the allegations had been addressed could place Lee at a disadvantage. The episode has given rise to sarcastic remarks suggesting that actions are judged differently depending on factional alignment, reflecting deepening mistrust within the party.

Tensions between factions have also been revealed in disputes involving President Lee Jae Myung. When the party leadership instructed preliminary candidates not to use the president’s image in campaign materials, Lee reportedly reacted strongly, saying the measure could be perceived as a form of intimidation. Jung later issued an apology, but the incident underscored friction between the party leadership and the president.

A pro-Lee figure criticized what they described as contradictory behavior by the party leadership. They noted that Jung has held Supreme Council meetings in regional areas and taken photographs with primary candidates, while encouraging those candidates to use such images in campaign materials. This has led to criticism that while the leader’s own image is being promoted, the use of the president’s image is being restricted, raising questions about fairness.

Further controversy has surrounded a monitoring body known as the “undercover inspection team,” established by Jung to ensure transparency in nominations. Some pro-Lee lawmakers have expressed concern that its scrutiny could disproportionately target their faction. According to one account, a lawmaker even instructed aides to be cautious in their conduct to avoid drawing attention from the group, highlighting unease about its potential role.

Factional competition is also evident in other regional races. Song has endorsed pro-Lee candidates in South Chungcheong, and in the planned Gwangju-South Jeolla integrated metropolitan city, he supported Gov. Kim Young-rok, who had received backing from pro-Lee figures. In response, pro-Jung figures criticized Song for intervening in primaries soon after rejoining the party, arguing that such involvement was inappropriate and that he should not be granted nominations in upcoming by-elections.

Despite these disputes, the primary victory of Min Hyung-bae in the Gwangju-South Jeolla race has strengthened the pro-Jung camp. With control over key regions such as North Jeolla and the Gwangju-South Jeolla area, which together account for a significant share of the party’s roughly 1.11 million registered members, the pro-Jung faction is seen as gaining a favorable position ahead of the August convention.

President Lee Jae-myung greets Democratic Party leader Chung Cheong-rae at the Blue House on April 7. [YONHAP]

The pro-Lee faction is also preparing its response. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok recently secured a residence in Iksan, North Jeolla, a move interpreted as an effort to establish a political foothold in the Honam region in anticipation of a potential leadership bid. However, his background as a Seoul native and his past political affiliations are viewed by some as potential weaknesses that could affect his standing in the region.

Within the pro-Lee camp, there is also discussion about expanding its pool of political figures. Some argue that Song should return to the National Assembly through a by-election, thereby strengthening the faction’s leadership base. Others have suggested that multiple pro-Lee candidates could enter the leadership race and later unify behind a single contender to challenge Jung. For such a strategy to succeed, securing a nomination and winning a by-election held alongside the June local elections would be essential.

However, Jung has not clearly indicated whether Song will be nominated. A pro-Lee lawmaker was quoted as saying that waiting for Jung’s decision would make securing a nomination unlikely, and that Song should instead declare his candidacy even in a difficult constituency and pursue a direct contest.

With the opposition People Power Party struggling, the Democratic Party appears to have turned its focus inward, engaging in intensified factional competition. While internal power struggles are not unusual in political parties, there are growing concerns that such conflicts should not overshadow the responsibilities of a governing party tasked with managing national affairs.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.