Jung Cheong-rae, a candidate for the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea, evaluated the results of the first week of the circuit primary on August 5, stating, "We performed remarkably." Although he narrowly lost in his home region of Chungcheong, he emphasized the lack of support from local lawmakers.
During his appearance on YouTube's 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory,' Jung remarked, "I was worried about a double-digit loss in Chungcheong," adding, "Kim Min-seok said he would win by a 7% margin, but I thought that was an exaggeration."
In the circuit primary held on August 1, Jung secured 44.61% of the votes, finishing second to Kim, who received 45.06%. However, when combining results from Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, Jung's total rose to 45.51%, surpassing Kim's 44.52%.
Regarding his first-place finish in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, Jung stated, "If it had been held later, I believe I would have won by a larger margin in Busan."
Looking ahead to the results of the circuit primary in Jeju and Incheon on August 8, he expressed, "I do not make predictions or calculations; it is important to meet as many voters as possible."
Jung also noted that if the second week results are close, public sentiment in Honam could shift. He asserted, "Organizations cannot withstand the winds of change."
Additionally, Jung pointed out that banners supporting Kim from the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction are being displayed, stating, "Members of the National Assembly and local committee chairs cannot openly show support. I have filed a complaint with the election commission, as I believe this violates party rules and regulations."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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