Democratic Party of Korea party leader candidates Song Young-gil, Jung Chung-rae and Kim Min-seok (in ballot order) visited the second battleground of Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang to appeal for support from party members. Jung and Kim traded sharp barbs, saying they would each refer the other to the ethics committee. Song attacked Jung by mentioning writer Yoo Si-min, who recently raised the "Lee Jae-myung administration's certain defeat" argument.
The Democratic Party held a joint speech session for the party leader and supreme council touring primary on the morning of the 2nd at the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center. Joint speeches will follow in Busan and Changwon, South Gyeongsang.
Kim, who took first place in the Chungcheongbloc rights party members' vote on the 1st, aimed at Jung and figures in the pro-Jung Chung-rae camp, saying, "Those who engaged in wrongful factional acts during this convention process and those who leveled wrongful slander and agitation while an opposing candidate was speaking will all be referred to the ethics committee, and even if that person enters the leadership, they will face the ethics committee's judgment."
Jung also said, "Kim, who attacked the party by raising the Shincheonji suspicion, hurt party members' hearts, and put the party at risk of being an unconstitutional party—if I become party leader, I will make sure to refer him to the ethics committee so he is judged," adding, "A person who betrays once betrays again." This was aimed at Kim's departure from the party in the 2002 presidential election while advocating a single candidacy between Roh Moo-hyun and Chung Mong-joon.
Song lent weight to Jung's offensive. Song said, "Shouldn't we defend those who are attacking the Lee Jae-myung administration? Why look upon writer Yoo Si-min's curse with a Buddha's eyes while attacking a fellow candidate," adding, "The (Shincheonji suspicion) had grounds for doubt, and Kim warned about it. We must strongly urge a particular religion not to intervene."
Speeches by supreme council candidates took on the aspect of a proxy war. Candidates aligned with Lee Jae-myung focused their attacks on the so-called "Myung vs. Chung showdown." In contrast, candidates in the pro-Jung camp countered that a "divide-and-demonize" tactic was framing them as anti–Lee Jae-myung.
Park Sun-won, aligned with Lee Jae-myung, said, "Did the Jung Chung-rae leadership truly do everything it could for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration?" Seo Mi-hwa said, "The Democratic Party system has fallen into stagnation, but the first leadership that directed the local elections took no responsibility." Lim Mi-ae also said, "What the ruling party leader must do is not make it harder for the president."
Choi Min-hee, aligned with Jung, said, "Why split the Democratic Party internally into pro-Lee and anti-Lee and demonize someone?" Han Min-soo said, "Who is talking about being anti-Lee and about divisionism? We are comrades." Lee Sung-yoon also said, "Anti-Lee is a fake frame that sows discord between the president and our party."