Jeong: "Party Sentiment Overwhelms Legislators' Votes" · Park Confident in "Close Race" … Jockeying for Delegates' Support

Convention D-3 … Last-Minute Efforts to Rally Members with "Unconstitutional Party Dissolution" · "Expulsion of Insurrectionist Forces"

Democratic Party Leader Candidates' Debate (Seoul=Yonhap News) Democratic Party leader candidates Jeong Cheong-rae (left) and Park Chan-dae pose for a commemorative photo after attending a TV debate held at MBC in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 29th. 2025.7.29 [National Assembly Photo Journalists] photo@yna.co.kr

On the 30th, three days before the August 8th national convention, Democratic Party leader candidates Jeong Cheong-rae and Park Chan-dae engaged in a war of words over the influence of delegates' votes, which carry 17 times the weight of a regular party member's vote, on the election.

Regular party members are general members who pay party dues, while delegates are considered "executive-level" party members, recommended by party leadership, incumbent lawmakers, provincial party chairmen, party-affiliated local government heads and council members, and district party chairmen including incumbent lawmakers.

In line with the trend of strengthening party member sovereignty, the proportion of regular party member votes reflected in party elections has been expanding, while the proportion of delegate votes has been shrinking.

Even under the system where Lee Jae-myung was the party leader, party rules were amended in this direction, and in the current party leader election, the reflection ratios have been set as follows: ▲ Delegate votes 15% ▲ Regular party members 55% ▲ General public 30%.

Currently, the Democratic Party is estimated to have about 16,000 delegates and about 1.5 million regular party members.

According to the Democratic Party's charter, the reflection ratio for delegates and regular party members in the party leader election is set at less than 20 to 1. This means one delegate vote is equivalent to 17 regular party member votes.

In this regard, candidate Jeong, who achieved a landslide victory in the regular party member votes in the Chungcheong and Yeongnam regions on the 19th-20th, expressed confidence that he holds an advantage not only among regular party members but also among delegates due to the prevailing sentiment. However, he also raised concerns about the higher value of delegate votes compared to regular party member votes.

Indeed, candidate Jeong raised this issue at a debate the previous day, stating, "At the national convention, a delegate's vote is worth 17 votes, and a regular party member's vote is worth one, and particularly, delegates' votes are influenced and controlled to some extent by National Assembly members. Is this truly a fair democratic procedure?"

Candidate Jeong also stated on Facebook today, targeting candidate Park, "We have called for the expansion and guarantee of party member rights in an era of one person, one vote, and a party of party member sovereignty. If there hadn't been an overwhelming lead in all opinion polls so far, this path would have been difficult. From the beginning until today, party sentiment has overwhelmed the sentiment of legislators."

This was a move to counter candidate Park, who had been rallying support from National Assembly members representing delegates by holding a press conference with about ten lawmakers the previous day.

Park Chan-dae Appeals for Support at Press Conference (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Ju-seong = Democratic Party leader candidate Park Chan-dae holds a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Center in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 30th to appeal for support. 2025.7.30 utzza@yna.co.kr

Conversely, candidate Park, who lagged in the regular party member votes, is anticipating an upset victory through a "golden cross," claiming he has an edge in delegate votes, which have relatively greater value and are heavily influenced by the input and organizational power of National Assembly members.

On this day, candidate Park stated that while he fundamentally agrees with candidate Jeong's pledges, "speed adjustment" is necessary, focusing his efforts on winning over delegates.

He told reporters at the National Assembly, "We are gradually making the votes of delegates and regular party members equal, and discussions will be held on amending the relevant party rules and regulations." He added, "The direction is the same (as candidate Jeong's), but speed is the issue. We will fully gather opinions."

A source from Park's camp stated in a phone call, "We believe Park has an advantage in organizational power due to his lead in delegate votes," and predicted, "A close race will unfold."

Meanwhile, the two candidates, who had been focused on flood recovery efforts, are now increasing their contact with party members as the election campaign enters its final stretch, engaging in a battle for clarity in their platforms.

Candidate Jeong held a party member meeting at the Incheon city chapter today, while candidate Park held one at the Jeju provincial chapter, appealing for support.

On Facebook, candidate Jeong stated, "I will uproot the very foundations of the insurrectionist party," adding, "We will make every effort to enable the filing of a constitutional lawsuit for the dissolution of the insurrectionist party when necessary."

Candidate Park emphasized at a press conference at the National Assembly, "We will make the ad hoc National Assembly Ethics Committee a standing committee and ensure its proper functioning to pursue disciplinary action and expulsion against those who participated in or sympathized with the insurrection," and added, "We will push for the passage of the Special Law to End Insurrection, which includes the establishment of a special tribunal, and a National Assembly investigation and hearing on the insurrection."

Candidate Park also revealed, "We have filed a complaint after detecting circumstances where supporters of former President Yoon Suk-yeol are posing as Democratic Party members and engaging in false propaganda to create chaos within the party." Yonhap News