Song Young-gil, the longest-serving lawmaker in the Democratic Party, announced his candidacy for party leader on July 8, stating, "Without the support of the 2030 generation, there will be no victory in the 2030 presidential election." His announcement follows the candidacies of former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and lawmaker Ko Min-jeong, with former leader Jeong Cheong-rae also seen as a likely candidate.
During a press conference at the party's headquarters, Song remarked, "The recent local elections were a defeat dressed in the guise of victory," emphasizing that "the crisis began within us, and the solution lies within as well." He has previously criticized Jeong's leadership following the local elections.
To appeal to younger voters, he outlined key pledges including the normalization of real estate, solutions to job and housing issues, and the removal of obstacles in the stock market.
He promised, "If elected as party leader, I will appoint two members of the Supreme Council from the 2030 generation," and added, "I will create a special committee and platform for the 2030 generation to directly participate in major party decisions and make their own choices."
Song stated, "I will be a leader who embraces the hearts of young people and moderate swing voters, strengthening the value alliance of the democratic reform forces."
As a member of the pro-Lee faction, Song stressed the need for a united front with the Lee Jae-myung government. He declared, "I will not miss the golden opportunity of these four years for this government, creating an irreplaceable South Korea and Democratic Party."
He also noted, "The President is doing everything he can at this moment. We must not let him walk the thorny path alone," explaining that it is the ruling party's duty to walk that path together.
Regarding the government's three major mega-projects aimed at achieving local-led growth, he emphasized, "Since the President is directly leading the semiconductor special committee, we will establish a dedicated organization within the party to firmly support the government's rapid progress."
Meanwhile, there are speculations that he may ally with Kim Min-seok, who is also from the pro-Lee faction, to counter Jeong Cheong-rae in this convention. Observers suggest that a decision could be made soon, as a preference voting system will be implemented instead of a runoff.
The preference voting system allows voters to list their top three preferred candidates on the ballot. If a candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes in the first round, they are declared the winner; if not, the votes are tallied including second choices. Some analysts believe this system may favor the pro-Lee faction.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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