Race for DP Leadership Heats Up with Three New Candidates
The contest for the leadership of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party (DP) is taking shape, with three new candidates announcing their bids over the past week. Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok declared his candidacy on July 6, followed by Reps. Song Young-gil and Ko Min-jung on July 8, setting the stage for a potentially competitive race ahead of the party's national convention on Aug. 17.
Kim, a four-term lawmaker, made his announcement in Gwangju, a traditional stronghold for the liberal party. He framed his bid around the need to reform the party and secure the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration. "With an unwavering sense of responsibility for the success of the Lee Jae Myung administration, I announce my candidacy for the leadership of the DP," he said.
Kim argued that the party had failed to translate public approval for the administration into electoral gains. Despite winning 12 of the 16 mayoral and gubernatorial seats in the June 3 local elections, the DP lost key battlegrounds, including the Seoul mayoral race. "We must restore the DP as a capable, strong and winning party as it was under the leadership of Lee Jae Myung," he added, warning that without a change in leadership, the party could face defeat in the next general elections.
Kim, a key political ally of President Lee, served as Lee's first prime minister from July 2025 until his resignation last week.
Song Young-gil and Ko Min-jung Enter the Fray
On July 8, Song Young-gil, a six-term lawmaker and former DP chairman, declared his candidacy during a press conference at the National Assembly. He emphasized the party's responsibility to lead state affairs alongside the president. "As the ruling party, we should take responsibility for improving people's livelihoods by leading state affairs with the president," Song said. "We should not let the president walk the thorny path alone, but walk down the path together with him."
His remarks were widely interpreted as a veiled critique of former DP leader Jung Chung-rae, a hard-liner who has faced criticism from some pro-Lee party members. According to observers, Jung is seen as appealing primarily to his own hard-line supporters rather than cooperating closely with President Lee on key issues.
Rep. Ko Min-jung, closely aligned with former President Moon Jae-in, also announced her bid. She vowed to build a party that inherits the achievements of the Moon administration, which she said were undermined under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol government. "I will take the lead in building a DP that carries on the achievements of Moon Jae-in that were undermined under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol government, while supporting the success of the Lee Jae Myung administration," she said.
A Potential Four-Way Contest
With these announcements, the DP leadership race is expected to become a four-way contest. Kim Min-seok, Song Young-gil, and Ko Min-jung are set to compete against Jung Chung-rae, who recently stepped down as DP leader to seek another term and is widely expected to formally enter the race.
The party's national convention, scheduled for Aug. 17, will elect the new chairperson and members of the Supreme Council amid growing factional tensions over the party's direction. The coming weeks are likely to see further maneuvering as candidates seek to consolidate support within the party.