Lead
Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok won party-member primaries in Incheon and Jeju Island on Saturday, a week after losing to rival Jung Chung-rae in the southeast, as the Democratic Party (DP) leadership race enters its middle stage, Yonhap reported.
Kim beat Jung 47.75 percent to 42.08 percent in votes cast by dues-paying party members in Incheon, just west of Seoul, and the southern resort island, according to party officials cited by Yonhap. Third candidate Song Young-gil garnered 10.17 percent.
Coverage comparison
Yonhap's report on Saturday's results said Kim bounced back from his defeat to Jung in Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province on Aug. 2, when Jung edged out Kim 46.65 percent to 43.85 percent. In the first primary, held in the central Chungcheong region on Aug. 1, Kim edged out Jung 45.05 percent to 44.61 percent.
Across the three primaries held so far, Kim is slightly ahead of Jung, with 45.42 percent and 44.56 percent of the votes, respectively, Yonhap reported.
The two leading candidates have traded wins in the early regional contests. Jung's victory in the southeast was described by Yonhap as a bounce back from his narrow loss in Chungcheong, which is considered his home turf.
Key claims
- Kim Min-seok won the party-member primaries in Incheon and Jeju Island, beating Jung Chung-rae 47.75 percent to 42.08 percent.
- Song Young-gil finished third in both contests, taking 10.17 percent in Incheon and Jeju and 9.5 percent in the southeast.
- Jung Chung-rae won the southeast primary in Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province, beating Kim 46.65 percent to 43.85 percent.
- Kim edged out Jung 45.05 percent to 44.61 percent in the central Chungcheong region.
- The DP's leadership race has primarily been a contest between Jung and Kim.
- The DP is set to hold its national convention on Aug. 17 to elect its new leader.