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Song Young-gil Vows to Finish Party Leadership Race, Eyes Incheon Turnaround
๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea /Elections & Politics

Song Young-gil Vows to Finish Party Leadership Race, Eyes Incheon Turnaround

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Song Young-gil, a candidate for the Democratic Party's leadership convention, rejected calls for his resignation, stating he will see the race through to the end.
  • He emphasized that resigning would invalidate his votes and that party members deserve the chance to make their final choice.
  • Song expressed confidence in a potential comeback in his political home, Incheon, and is actively campaigning there.

Song Young-gil, a candidate vying for the leadership of the Democratic Party, has firmly dismissed any suggestions of stepping down before the party's August 17 convention. "There can be no resignation midway," Song declared on Thursday, pushing back against speculation that he should withdraw to foster party unity.

There can be no resignation midway.

โ€” Song Young-gilResponding to questions about calls for his resignation from within the party.

Addressing reporters at the National Assembly, Song explained that such calls stem from a misunderstanding of preferential voting systems. "If I resign midway, the votes I have received become void," he stated. "If I finish the race and end up in third place, my votes are then distributed to the first and second candidates, so there is no such thing as a wasted vote."

If I resign midway, the votes I have received become void.

โ€” Song Young-gilExplaining the mechanics of the preferential voting system to reporters.

Song stressed the importance of completing the race, asserting that party members must have the opportunity to cast their final vote. He is actively campaigning in Incheon, his political home, hoping to generate a significant shift in support there. "I am promoting a lot to create a turnaround in Incheon, my political hometown," he said.

If I finish the race and end up in third place, my votes are then distributed to the first and second candidates, so there is no such thing as a wasted vote.

โ€” Song Young-gilFurther elaborating on why he believes resigning would be detrimental.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.