- विज्ञापन -
Seoul: Former Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung achieved another significant victory on Saturday in his quest for the candidacy in the upcoming Presidential election on June 3, winning the primary in South Korea’s southwestern region.
Lee garnered 88.69 percent of the votes in the DP primary held in Gwangju and the North and South Jeolla provinces, as reported by party officials. He is regarded as a strong contender for the liberal party’s presidential nomination and has consistently led in recent opinion polls, according to Yonhap news agency.
After the results were announced, Lee remarked, “I believe the people of Honam have entrusted me with even greater expectations and responsibility.” The Jeolla regions, collectively referred to as the Honam regions, are a known stronghold for the DP.
He emphasized that these areas deserve increased investment, criticizing the conservative government, traditionally strong in the southeast, for its “flawed” approach to balanced national development. “We need to invest much more in the area… Balanced development isn’t just about backing local regions; it’s crucial for our country’s growth and prosperity,” he stated.
This latest win follows his decisive victories in the central Chungcheong and southeastern Gyeongsang primaries. Trailing far behind him was Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon, who received 7.41 percent of the vote, followed by former South Gyeongsang Governor Kim Kyung-soo with 3.90 percent.
Previously, on April 19, Lee celebrated another substantial victory in the primary for the central Chungcheong region, where he won 88.15 percent of the total votes across South and North Chungcheong provinces, as well as Daejeon and Sejong cities. He defeated the two other DP contenders by a significant margin: Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon with 7.54 percent and Kim Kyung-soo with 4.31 percent.
