By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Two-term lawmaker Kang Ki-kab was elected chairman of the minor opposition Democratic Labor Party (DLP) Friday, replacing Chun Young-se. The party has five seats in the 299-member National Assembly.
In the runoff, the farmer-turned-politician won over Lee Soo-ho, a member of the party's decision-making Supreme Council.
Kang, 55, garnered 12,208 or 68.3 percent of 18,707 votes cast on- and off-line, while Lee, 59, received 5,637 votes or 31.5 percent.
The leadership race was held on Thursday but failed to pick a new chairman because no candidates won more than a majority vote from party delegates which party rules require.
The party decided to delay the runoff for the top two candidates, Kang and Lee, due to worries over low voter turnout.
The voter turnout stood at 50.2 percent.
After graduating from an agricultural high school in 1971, Kang raised cows and was engaged in fruit-growing.
Then, he worked for an association for farmers and began his political career when he was elected a lawmaker to the Assembly in 2004.
He came to enjoy popularity with his effort to protect the rights of farmers.
The legislator was re-elected in the April 9 elections by defeating Lee Bang-ho, a former secretary general of the governing Grand National Party (GNP).
Kang, who always wears durumagi, a traditional Korean outer garment, is currently a member of the Assembly's committee on agriculture, forestry and maritime affairs.