Kim Min-seok Elected New Democratic Party Chair with 54.08% in Runoff Vote

Rep. Kim Min-seok has taken the helm of the Democratic Party of Korea as its new leader.

Chairman Kim (62, four-term representative, Seoul Yeongdeungpo District) won the party convention held at the Daejeon Convention Center on the 17th with 54.08% of votes, surpassing candidate Jung Chul-rae (45.92%). The outcome was not decided in a single round. Neither candidate secured a majority in the first vote, and the new party leadership was ultimately determined after a runoff using the preferential voting method.

The preferential voting system allows voters to select three candidates in order of preference simultaneously. When no candidate achieves a majority, votes are transferred using the second-choice preference of those who voted for the last-place candidate, which are then combined. The Democratic Party reflected 70% delegate and party member votes and 30% public opinion polls in determining the final ranking.

The new chairman faces considerable challenges ahead. With President Lee Jae-myung's approval ratings on a downward trend, the party must restore momentum to state affairs, and Kim must also heal the party divisions that have deepened through the convention process. The very fact that nearly half the votes went to the competing candidate demonstrates the magnitude of the reconciliation task before him.

In the simultaneous Supreme Council member election, Rep. Choi Min-hee (second term) entered the leadership in first place, followed by Reps. Park Seon-won, Seo Mi-hwa, Lee Seong-yun, and Han Min-su (all first term).