After Conceding Primary Defeat, Intra-Party Conflicts Deepen... Supporters of In Nak-yeon Choose "Rather Yoon Seok-yeol"

40,000 Rights Party Members Supporting Former Representative Lee
File Injunction to Suspend Primary Candidate's Validity
Candidate Lee Jae-myung Does Not Recognize Legitimacy
Calls for Former Representative Lee's Decision Inside and Outside the Party
Interest in Participation in the Election Committee

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Nak-yeon, has accepted the primary election results, but signs indicate that internal party conflicts may intensify further. The key issues moving forward are whether Lee will participate in the campaign committee of candidate Lee Jae-myung (current Governor of Gyeonggi Province) and how he will manage the demands of supporters who still refuse to acknowledge the primary results. Meanwhile, a public opinion poll showing that votes from Lee’s supporters are unlikely to shift to candidate Lee has drawn close attention from the Democratic Party.

For now, Lee Nak-yeon has refrained from making statements on current issues following his acceptance of the primary results and is keeping a low profile. However, his intentions have been indirectly conveyed through close aides. Kim Kwang-jin, former Blue House political secretary and current strategy director and spokesperson for Lee’s campaign, said in a radio interview, “There has not yet been a formal offer regarding the chairmanship of the campaign committee, so it is not a situation to comment on,” adding, “He has expressed a general stance that he will faithfully fulfill whatever role is necessary for the Democratic Party’s victory.” Kim Jong-min, a lawmaker serving as chairman of the campaign’s Political Reform Vision Committee, also stated that there would be “no major disputes or disagreements” regarding Lee’s joining the campaign committee.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Amid these circumstances, 40,000 Democratic Party members supporting Lee Nak-yeon filed a “request for provisional suspension of the primary candidate’s validity” with the court on the morning of the same day. Although the party’s executive committee has already concluded its judgment, making a court reversal unlikely, this indicates that a significant number of party members do not recognize candidate Lee’s legitimacy, potentially serving as a latent source of conflict. Regarding this, former secretary Kim responded, “The candidate and campaign have expressed acceptance of the executive committee’s decision. However, an election is not a story of the candidate alone,” showing a lukewarm attitude by not obstructing their legal actions.

Given that Lee Nak-yeon’s approval ratings rose toward the end of the primary, this series of developments could be very embarrassing for candidate Lee. According to a Realmeter poll commissioned by OhmyNews released that day, only 14.2% of respondents who said they supported Lee Nak-yeon chose candidate Lee Jae-myung. Instead, 40.3% said they would choose former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, the highest percentage. This survey was conducted nationwide from December 11 to 12 among 2,027 men and women aged 18 and older, after candidate Lee’s primary victory was confirmed.

Voices urging Lee Nak-yeon to make a swift decision emerged both inside and outside the party. Yoo In-tae, a senior ruling party figure and former Secretary-General of the National Assembly, said in a radio interview that day, “He accepted the primary results, so he must comply with what the party wants. Otherwise, he will be seen as a reckless troublemaker.” Park Sang-byeong, a professor at Inha University’s Graduate School of Policy, predicted in a phone interview that “As the longest-serving prime minister under the Moon Jae-in administration, he will work hard for the regime’s reestablishment,” adding, “Considering the local elections after the presidential election, he will have no choice but to do his best for a one-team effort.”

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