Ahead of the Democratic Party of Korea national convention on Aug. 17, front-runner for party leader, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, and former Chair Jung Chung-rae formed their own teams and began touring the regions. While the two candidates traveled with supreme council candidates to rally support, they also continued a war of nerves over the supplemental investigation authority issue and allegations of Shincheonji interference.
On the morning of the 26th, at an invited lecture held at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), the former prime minister said, "As prime minister, I said several times in May that we should finish abolishing the supplemental investigation authority. Who dragged it out?" He added, "Slandering the president as anti-reform is anti-Myung (anti–Lee Jae-myung)." He continued, "How does saying 'no comment' and not uttering a word about anti-Myung protect the president? Do such people deserve to be in the leadership?"
This was a criticism of former Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Chairman Yoo Si-min, who appeared on the YouTube show "Maebul Show" on the 15th and criticized President Lee Jae-myung, and of former Chair Jung responding with "no comment."
Kim also went on the offensive against supreme council candidates Lee Sung-yoon, Choi Min-hee, and Han Min-soo, who are classified as pro-Chung (pro–Jung Chung-rae). He labeled them "anti-Myung, pro-Chung candidates" and criticized, "Is the Democratic Party one that would elect as many as three anti-Myung candidates to the supreme council?" He added, "After a (pro-Myung) 4 to (pro-Chung) 1 lineup takes shape, the key point to watch is whether it ultimately becomes 5 to 0."
At Kim's lecture, supreme council candidates classified as pro-Myung, including former Democratic Research Institute head Kim Yong and lawmakers Seo Mi-hwa, Park Sun-won, and Lim Mi-ae, joined him. In the afternoon, the former prime minister will visit the Chungcheong region, including Gongju and Cheonan.
On the same day in Ulsan and Daegu, candidate Jung Chung-rae held separate meetings with party members to broaden his base. He said, "I am confident that the person who will protect President Lee to the end will be Jung Chung-rae, who has never betrayed the party nor left it," adding, "I will protect the president and the Democratic Party, so please protect Jung Chung-rae." This is interpreted as a jab at the former prime minister, Kim, who left the Democratic Party during the 2002 presidential race and declared support for candidate Chung Mong-joon.
Regarding the allegation of Shincheonji party membership, the former chair also said, "I have no connection with Shincheonji," and countered, "Although they did not mention me by name, they are inflating suspicions as if there were a problem."
The former chair then went on the counterattack against the former prime minister Kim, who raised the Shincheonji allegation. He said, "It seems the convention will turn into a self-defeating, negative event due to the Shincheonji controversy," adding, "The person who plunged the party into confusion should apologize to the members, and I hope the party will take stern action."
Supreme council candidates from the pro-Chung (pro–Jung Chung-rae) camp, lawmakers Lee Sung-yoon, Choi Min-hee, and Han Min-soo, also attended the meeting.