Kim Min-seok, a candidate for Democratic Party of Korea chair, took first place in the Chungcheong bloc, the first stop of the Aug. 17 national convention's touring primaries. The result upended expectations that Jung Chung-rae's "hometown premium" as a native of Geumsan, South Chungcheong, and his underdog strategy would work. Six rounds remain, but concern over weakened governing momentum in the president's second year in office amid the Myeong–Cheong conflict appears to have played a role. Depending on the convention's outcome, the balance of power between the ruling party and the presidential office, as well as the next power alignment, will change.
After the Chungcheong tally was announced that day, Kim met with reporters and said, "I judged that Chungcheong and tomorrow's Busan–Ulsan–South Gyeongsang would be the toughest regions for me," adding, "Because it is Jung Chung-rae's home turf and where his core organization is, I cannot be optimistic about tomorrow either." He added, "If we hold our own tomorrow as well, I expect we can gain a relative edge afterward," and said, "I will work harder with an even heavier sense of responsibility."
Chungcheong had in fact been considered favorable to Jung. Regarding the issue of abolishing the supplementary investigative authority, hard-core supporters strongly vetoed President Lee, and after turmoil in the real estate and stock markets, even controversy over "constitutional revision for presidential consecutive terms" erupted, prompting talk that this would be a headwind for Kim. Jung's camp also had high hopes of seizing early momentum in Chungcheong to set the tone for the entire primary.
In contrast, in the day's count, Kim narrowly led in the dues-paying party members' vote with 45.06%, edging Jung (44.61%). Song Young-gil received 10.34%. Notably, even in South Chungcheong, Jung's home province, Kim recorded 12,483 votes (45.65%), ahead of Jung (11,835 votes/43.28%). However, in Daejeon, Jung (8,187 votes) beat Kim (7,249 votes).
Jung plans to continue an underdog strategy framed as "Kim Min-seok–Song Young-gil vs. Jung Chung-rae." Meeting reporters that day, he said, "Considering that I have been pummeled and attacked two-to-one, three-to-one, four-to-one, five-to-one until now, isn't the (Chungcheong result) a very fine achievement?" He added, "I believe party members will protect and stand by me."
With momentum gained in Chungcheong, Kim is expected to keep foregrounding the conflict between President Lee and the "anti-Myung (anti–Lee Jae-myung)" old mainstream. He is focusing attacks on writer Yoo Si-min's "certain defeat theory for a Lee Jae-myung administration" and on Jung's camp for staying silent. In response, Jung said, "Rep. Kim Min-seok, who said four years ago that Lee Jae-myung, then the party leader, bore responsibility for the local election defeat, is he a 'senior anti-Myung'?" adding, "He was the one who advocated anti-Myung first."
Starting in Chungcheong that day, the Democratic Party will move through Busan–Ulsan–South Gyeongsang (on the 2nd), Jeju–Incheon (on the 8th), Gangwon–Daegu–North Gyeongsang (on the 9th), Honam (on the 15th), and Seoul–Gyeonggi (on the 16th), and on the 17th in Daejeon will elect the party chair and five Supreme Council members. Results will combine 70% from delegate and dues-paying member votes and 30% from a public opinion poll. This election is the first to adopt the "one person, one vote system," in which the vote value of dues-paying members and delegates is equal.