Kim Min-seok won the Democratic Party’s first regional primary in the Chungcheong area by a margin of 0.44 percentage points [1].
This result sets an early tone for the leadership race, demonstrating a highly competitive environment as the party seeks to select its next leader and top-level officials. Because the victory was so narrow, the outcome suggests a divided or closely split base of support within the region.
The primary took place as part of the Democratic Party’s 8·17 national convention tour. The voting covered the Chungcheong region, which includes Chungnam, Chungbuk, Daejeon, and Sejong [1], [2].
According to final tallies, Kim Min-seok received 45.05% of the vote [3]. His opponent, Jung Cheong-rae, followed closely with 44.61% [3]. The gap between the two candidates amounted to just 303 votes [1]. A third candidate, Song Young-gil, finished with 10.34% of the vote [3].
The closeness of the race was evident in the immediate reactions of the candidates. "I do not know the exact numbers, but I did win, right?" Kim said in an interview with YTN News.
Jung Cheong-rae expressed a need to review the results. "I think I need to go and calculate the votes now," Jung said.
This regional contest serves as a precursor to the broader national convention. The narrow gap between Kim and Jung indicates that neither candidate has established a dominant lead heading into the remaining stages of the primary tour.
“Kim Min-seok won the Democratic Party’s first regional primary in the Chungcheong area by a margin of 0.44 percentage points.”
The razor-thin margin of victory in the Chungcheong region indicates a high level of parity between the leading candidates. With only 303 votes separating the first and second place, the Democratic Party leadership race remains open, suggesting that regional swings and small shifts in voter turnout could pivot the final national outcome.
