Rep. Lee Geon-tae of the Democratic Party of Korea on the 11th said he is "the most suitable person to communicate closely with and provide close support to the Lee Jae-myung administration," officially declaring a run in the Democratic Party by-election for supreme council member.
At 10 a.m. that day, the lawmaker held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Building and stated accordingly, calling himself "the only candidate who can build a united ruling-party–government team."
Lee said, "There is criticism that the party is out of step with the government and is undermining the sense of efficacy that the Lee Jae-myung administration is achieving. The government is moving forward, but the party is going in a different direction or failing to match the pace, creating discord," adding, "We urgently need a supreme council member who will provide close support to the Lee Jae-myung administration and communicate closely."
Lee is a first-term lawmaker who previously served as defense counsel in President Lee Jae-myung's Daejang-dong development scandal case. Emphasizing this point, Lee said he took the lead in responding to legal risk when Lee was party leader, and since the launch of the new administration has continued activities for prosecutorial and judicial reform through bodies such as the party's special committee responding to politically motivated prosecutorial fabrication and indictments.
He went on, "For the insurrection to be settled, we must reform the judicial power that is estranged from the public and wields imperial authority, and achieve true independence of the judiciary," adding, "I will stand at the forefront as a Democratic Party supreme council member and fight against the vested-interest forces."
On the "one person, one vote system," which Representative Jung Chung-rae pursued but was voted down by the Central Committee, he said, "I agree with the direction, but a party of party member sovereignty must be firmly grounded on intra-party democracy." He added, "Before major intra-party decisions, I will make sure to create a structure that guarantees sufficient deliberation and genuine communication."
At the scene of the candidacy declaration were former Floor Leader Park Chan-dae, former Supreme Council member Han Joon-ho, and lawmakers Cheon Joon-ho, Lee Jae-kang, Lee Kwang-hee, and Kim Tae-seon, among others.
This by-election for supreme council member will be held on the 11th of next month after Supreme Council members Jeon Hyun-hee, Han Joon-ho, and Kim Byung-joo resigned to prepare to run in next year's local elections. Winners will be chosen by reflecting a vote of 50% Central Committee members and 50% dues-paying party members. On the 9th, Yoo Dong-cheol, head of the Democratic Party's Suyeong District Committee in Busan, who has been at odds with Representative Jung, was the first to make an official bid. Among those close to Jung, Rep. Lim Oh-kyung, Rep. Lee Sung-yoon, and Seocho-gap District Committee head Kim Han-na are being mentioned as potential candidates.