Preparatory Committee on Party Convention: 'Proceeding as Resolved' Amidst Primary Schedule Dispute

South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party is facing internal debate over its upcoming national convention primary election schedule. The party's National Convention Preparatory Committee (전준위) has affirmed its decision to proceed with the planned touring primary schedule, despite criticisms that it may benefit specific candidates.

The controversy arose when a contender for the party leadership, reportedly from Kim Min-seok's camp, raised concerns about the fairness of the schedule. The committee, however, rejected these objections, citing the limited time available to organize the elections. The schedule, confirmed during the committee's second meeting, is set to begin on August 1 in the Chungcheong region (Chungnam, Chungbuk, Daejeon, Sejong), followed by Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, then Daegu and Gyeongbuk, before moving to Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, and Gwangju on August 15, and concluding in Gyeonggi and Seoul on August 16.

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As of now, we are proceeding according to the resolution.

Lee Yeon-hee, spokesperson for the preparatory committee, explained that the schedule follows past conventions and was proposed by the working-level team due to time constraints. She noted that various opinions were considered before the majority-supported plan was adopted. However, reports indicate that some Supreme Council members, including Kang Deuk-gu and Hwang Myung-sun, argued that starting the touring primaries in the Chungcheong region, the hometown of former party leader Chung Jin-suk, could be advantageous to him.

Conversely, the preparatory committee countered that holding primaries in the Honam (Jeolla) and Seoul metropolitan areas later in the schedule aligns with past conventions where these regions often voted last. They argued that prioritizing these areas earlier might be unfair. The final decision on the touring primary schedule will be made by the Supreme Council. Kim's camp stated they would monitor the situation as the Supreme Council deliberates.

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We followed precedent, and time is tight, so the working-level team proposed a plan, and we decided on the plan that had the majority opinion after each person expressed their views.