[6.3 Election] Kim Jungju, Preliminary Candidate, Challenges Damyang County Council Primary Results... Files Retrial Petition with South Jeolla Provincial Party

Kim Jungju, a preliminary candidate who participated in the Democratic Party of Korea's primary for Damyang County Council in South Jeolla Province, has filed a petition for a retrial with the South Jeolla Provincial Party, refusing to accept the results of the primary. Kim has alleged that the provincial party intervened systematically in the primary process and provided preferential treatment to a rival candidate, but the party strongly denies these claims.

Through the retrial petition, Kim asserted, "The South Jeolla Provincial Party managed the primary unfairly by pre-notifying a policy of extra points to favor a specific candidate."

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According to the petition submitted by Kim on April 14, the provincial party notified Kim via text message on March 20 of a "20% extra point application," adding a clause stating, "Extra points may be applied differently depending on the opposing primary candidate." In contrast, Kim explained that the rival candidate did not receive such a clause in their message.

Kim specifically pointed out, "The rival candidate had been telling local residents since a week before the primary that 'if a political newcomer faces off against a youth candidate, the extra points are halved,'" and claimed this indicated that internal information from the provincial party had been leaked in advance.

In response, Kim demanded the disclosure of voting log records and a re-election, stating, "The outcome diverged significantly from local public opinion."

On the other hand, the South Jeolla Provincial Party of the Democratic Party of Korea maintains that Kim's claims are untrue.

An official from the provincial party refuted, "With such a large number of primary candidates, it is impossible to send out different messages individually. The messages in question were sent identically to all candidates." The official further explained that the possibility of changes in extra points was merely general information provided in accordance with the party's constitution and regulations, not something targeting a specific candidate.

The provincial party also emphasized the fairness of the primary management, stating, "It is unreasonable to claim that the provincial party would systematically intervene in a local council primary, which is not even at the metropolitan mayor or governor level."

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