[Summary] Lee Jae-myung "Even President Moon's supporters cheer for me... Why would I leave the Democratic Party?"

"Rumors of Party Withdrawal Are Merely the Wishes of a Very Small Minority," Dismissed
"If I Must Define My Position, It Would Be Like Hyangsobugok"
Recently Leading Presidential Polls at 27%, 17%p Ahead of 2nd Place
Governor Lee: "My Politics Is Making the Impossible Possible"

Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, dismissed on the 8th the 'Democratic Party withdrawal rumor' raised by some quarters, saying, "Why would I leave?"

On the afternoon of the same day, during an appearance on OBS broadcasting, when asked by the host about the rumor of withdrawal raised by some ruling party members, Lee responded, "There are a very small number of people who think 'I wish that person would leave,'" emphasizing this point.

He continued, "I have been a party member continuously for the past 16 years since 2005," adding, "Why would I leave? It is just a wish expressed by a very small minority."

Earlier, voices calling for Lee's expulsion from the party had emerged within the ruling party. On the 10th of last month, a vote on whether to demand Lee's resignation was held on the Democratic Party's rights members' bulletin board. At that time, the 'Like' votes supporting expulsion reached 6,585, while the 'Dislike' votes opposing expulsion were only 329.

Meanwhile, Lee also commented on the so-called 'third candidate theory,' which suggests a third presidential candidate could emerge within the ruling party, saying, "I am not disappointed. The person who would be disappointed is probably the one who is in second place in the presidential preference polls." The 'second place' Lee referred to is interpreted as a remark targeting Lee Nak-yeon, the Democratic Party leader, who has consistently ranked second in various presidential preference polls.

On the morning of July 30 last year at Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office, Lee Nak-yeon, then the Democratic Party presidential candidate, shaking hands with Governor Lee Jae-myung (left) before holding a meeting. / Photo by Yonhap News

Lee said, "I could be second or third anytime, but given the current situation, the third candidate should first surpass the person in second place rather than me," adding, "Moreover, I have never seen any polls about a third candidate." This statement is interpreted to mean that since he ranks high in recent presidential preference polls, he cannot be the third candidate. It also implies that the third candidate should compete with the second-place Lee Nak-yeon, not with him.

He also claimed, "If I were to categorize my position using the traditional bone rank system, I would be neither Seonggol nor Jingol nor Yukdupum, but rather someone from a Hyangsobugok background." This is understood as a statement indicating that he does not have a clear support base within the ruling party.

In the past, Lee has referred to himself as a 'dirt spoon,' contrasting himself with other presidential candidates. In an interview with a media outlet on July 17 last year, he said about Lee Nak-yeon, "Our life paths are so different that we have had few opportunities to interact deeply or meet."

He added, "He (Lee Nak-yeon) is an elite university graduate, worked as a journalist, was selected by former President Kim Dae-jung to become a member of the National Assembly and then a governor, and did well. I, on the other hand, come from the outskirts as a dirt spoon, engaged in human rights and civic movements, and the only thing I have done is serve as mayor of Seongnam," emphasizing this point.

Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province. / Photo by Yonhap News

Lee also strongly responded to criticisms labeling him a 'populist' that have surfaced in some quarters.

He said, "Thinking that people will be fooled by one-off policies is itself disrespectful to the people," emphasizing, "Supporting someone just because they give a few tens of thousands of won is an insult to the people, and if I were to implement genuine populist policies, I would be judged by the people."

Meanwhile, according to a survey conducted by 'Korea Gallup' from the 2nd to the 4th among 1,002 voters aged 18 and over nationwide on the preferred next president, Lee ranked first with 27%. Lee Nak-yeon ranked second with 10%, and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl was third with 9%.

Notably, Lee's preference rating rose by 4 percentage points compared to last month's survey, creating a 17 percentage point gap ahead of second-place Lee Nak-yeon.

Amid this situation, on the 7th, Lee explained his political view through his Facebook, saying, "Politics is about making the impossible possible."

He stated, "By breaking free from the defeatist mentality of servitude forced upon our predecessors due to geopolitical reasons, and by not prematurely giving up on challenges deemed impossible, we can achieve what was once considered impossible in all areas?culture, society, economy, and politics?and challenge the world. I am confident because I believe in the potential of the Korean people, their high civic consciousness, and collective intelligence," he emphasized.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.