Kim Min-seok Leads by 1% Point Margin; 'Super Week' in Honam and Seoul Metropolitan Area Draws Attention

Kim Min-seok has taken a narrow lead in the race for the leadership of the Democratic Party, surpassing Chung Jin-suk by a cumulative 1.48 percentage points following the latest round of regional primaries. As of August 9, 2026, Kim secured 46.01% of the vote, totaling 95,821 votes, while Chung garnered 44.53%, or 92,735 votes. Song Young-gil trailed with 9.47%.

These figures do not yet include the 5% weighting applied to votes from strategic regions like Gyeongnam, Gyeongbuk, and Daegu. In the August 9 primaries held in Gangwon and Daegu/Gyeongbuk, Kim Min-seok outperformed Chung Jin-suk by 1,622 votes, achieving a 48.54% vote share compared to Chung's 44.40%. This follows a similar trend from the previous day's primary in Jeju and Incheon, where Kim also secured a lead.

While the voter turnout in regions like Jeju, Incheon, Gangwon, and Daegu/Gyeongbuk represents only about 2-3% of the total party membership, their outcomes are seen as potentially influencing sentiment in the upcoming, more significant primaries. The party's leadership contest has been exceptionally close, with previous rounds in Chungcheong and the Busan/Ulsan/Gyeongnam regions showing tight results.

The upcoming week, dubbed 'Super Week,' is expected to be decisive. Primaries scheduled for August 15 in Jeonnam/Gwangju and Jeonbuk, followed by contests on August 16 in Gyeonggi and Seoul, will account for a substantial 71.4% of the total delegate votes. The results from these key regions are anticipated to shape the final outcome of the party's leadership election.