People Power Party Election Commission Finalizes Presidential Primary Rules: "3rd Round to Assess General Election Competitiveness"

First Public Opinion Poll to Reflect 20% of Party Members' Votes
Decided Not to Introduce Anti-Reverse Voting Clause

Lee Jun-seok attending the primary candidates' meeting
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The People Power Party has decided not to introduce a reverse voting prevention clause in the presidential election candidate primary. Instead, they will reflect 20% of party member votes in the first cut-off and conduct a public opinion poll focusing on general election competitiveness in the second cut-off.

On the 5th, the People Power Party's primary election management committee held a seven-hour meeting from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. to reach a compromise.

The committee's new agreement replaces the first cut-off, previously conducted entirely by public opinion polls, with a combined result of 20% party member votes and 80% public opinion polls. The second cut-off will maintain 30% party member votes and 70% public opinion polls. Additionally, in the third and final vote, instead of a preference-based poll, a public opinion poll asking about 'general election competitiveness' will be used.

Election Committee Chairperson Jeong Hong-won stated, "We will measure who has the strongest competitiveness for the general election and calculate the results according to that ratio." Chairperson Jeong added, "It is a method that measures the outcome when placing the ruling party's leading candidate and our candidate one-on-one," but said, "The specific questions cannot be disclosed."

Although the conflict appears to have been resolved for now, the seeds of discord remain. There is still potential for conflict regarding the design of the public opinion poll questions in the third and final vote.

Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, who opposed the reverse voting prevention clause, has accepted the decision. Yoo stated on social media (SNS), "I will accept the election committee's decision today." Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl also said, "I respect the election committee's decision."

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