Even as the 'Expanded Primary' Solidifies, Park Yong-jin and Kang Hoon-sik Keep Running... Is Unification Possible?

Opposition Party Leadership Race Week 2, Overwhelming 'Hwedaemyeong' Momentum Confirmed
Park "Innovation·Party Before Self", Kang "Unity·Young Party" Differentiation Efforts
Political Circle Skeptical About Unification

Park Yong-jin (left) and Kang Hoon-sik (right), candidates for the Democratic Party of Korea leadership election.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yunjin Kim] The Democratic Party of Korea's national delegate convention for the party leader election has entered its second week amid a 'definite leader is Lee Jae-myung' scenario. Park Yong-jin and Kang Hoon-sik, candidates who were seen as challengers to Lee Jae-myung, are struggling against Lee's overwhelming dominance. While prospects for unification among the '97 Group' (those born in the 1970s and who entered university in the 1990s) candidates remain divided, the two candidates continue their independent campaigns emphasizing 'innovation' and 'unity,' respectively.

According to the Democratic Party on the 10th, in the first and second rounds of regional primaries held in Gangwon, Daegu, Gyeongbuk, Jeju, and Incheon, Park Yong-jin ranked second in votes from party members, following Lee Jae-myung. Kang Hoon-sik came in third.

Park, who has maintained a stable second place in regional primaries and opinion polls, is seeking a breakthrough to reverse the situation. Park has emphasized the party's innovation by delivering messages about creating a 'social solidarity party' and directly criticizing Lee. At a party leader candidate debate hosted by CBS Radio on the 9th, Park stated, "I intend to play an active role in ideological struggles over the party's direction," and declared that he would follow a 'party first, then personal interest' path, contrasting with Lee's 'party privatization' approach.

Kang is attempting to differentiate himself with a message of 'inclusion and unity' to overcome his relatively low recognition compared to his party base. Emphasizing that he is the only candidate in his 40s and from outside the metropolitan area, Kang presents a vision of creating a 'young governing party.' At the CBS Radio debate on the 9th, Kang said, "I will be a party leader who protects Lee Jae-myung and embraces Park Yong-jin," adding, "We will create a path together to bring about change and dynamism with new ideas."

Voices calling for unification between the two candidates to counter the 'Lee Jae-myung dominance theory' are also emerging. Initially, the prevailing opinion was that unification negotiations should have been completed before the main party leader election began on the 3rd. However, Kang stated that "a 'pro-Lee coalition' cannot lead the Democratic Party," emphasizing that competing visions should come first, which caused the deadline to pass without resolution. Nevertheless, since voting remains in regions like Chungcheong, considered a 'casting vote' area, and Honam, where many party members are concentrated, some analysts believe unification remains a viable factor.

Among the two candidates, Park Yong-jin, who is currently in second place chasing Lee, is more proactive about unification. After a joint speech event in Jeju on the 7th, Kang said, "Unification does not seem to be the essence. We need to get more votes first for anything to be possible," thus postponing discussions. In contrast, Park appeared on the YouTube program 'Political Why?' by SisaIN on the 9th and expressed his willingness for quick unification, saying, "I don't think unification must be with me alone. The priority is to respond to the public's earnest hope that we do not follow the 'Lee Jae-myung dominant' path."

However, prospects for successful unification within and outside the party are not entirely optimistic. Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won appeared on KBS's 'Yeouido Sasageon-geon' on the 3rd and assessed the possibility as high, saying, "Party members and the public want to see a resolute opposition party with the '97 forces' united to strongly challenge Lee." On the other hand, Oh Seung-yong, CEO of Kingpin Policy Research, said on KBS Radio's 'Start! Mudeung Morning' on the 8th, "Aside from an engineered unification, there seems to be little substance in Park's message," and added, "From Kang's perspective, it might be better to promote himself as the right candidate rather than unify," forecasting that unification would be difficult to achieve.

The Democratic Party's convention will elect the party leader and supreme council members by combining 40% party member votes, 30% delegate votes, 25% public opinion polls, and 5% general party member opinion polls on the 28th. During the second week, from the 10th to the 13th, voting by party members in Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongnam, and Chungcheong regions will take place, along with the first round of public opinion polls scheduled for the 12th and 13th.

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