Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is expected to resign as early as on the 19th to seek another term as party leader. In the Democratic Party, it is customary for the sitting party leader to step down in advance if running in the next party leadership election. The aim is to prevent any undue influence on the convention while remaining in the leadership post. The party convention to elect the next Democratic Party leader is scheduled for Aug. 17.
On the 11th, a Democratic Party official said, "Jung's resignation will be on the 19th." That timing is the day after President Lee Jae-myung returns from an overseas trip for the Group of Seven (G7) summit on the 18th.
Recently in the Democratic Party, the case of a sitting leader resigning to seek another term was President Lee Jae-myung. Lee stepped down as party leader 55 days before the Aug. 18, 2024, convention. He then won another term as party leader at the convention.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party held a closed supreme council meeting the previous day and approved a "revision to the composition of the Special Committee on Organization Reinforcement." The committee handles tasks such as restructuring regional chapter heads.
A Democratic Party official said, "If the party leader resigns, the secretary-general must also resign," adding, "Because there are interview schedules for the special committee, the timing of Jung's resignation could be pushed back to around the 23rd–24th."