Gyeonggi Governor Lee further solidifies lead in ruling party primary

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, a presidential contender of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during the party's regional primary event held at Songdo Convensia in Incheon, Sunday. The governor won the Incheon regional primary by a landslide. Joint Press Corps

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung widened his lead in the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) presidential primary race on Sunday by winning a comfortable majority of votes in the race's second "super week."

After Sunday's primaries, Lee's support rose to 54.9 percent of the votes cast since the race began early this month, up from Saturday's 53.51 percent, while support for his rival Lee Nak-yon fell to 34.3 percent from 34.67 percent.

Support for former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Rep. Park Yong-jin came to 9.1 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively.

The race is scheduled to wind up with a primary in Seoul on Oct. 10.

If the current trend holds, Governor Lee is expected to win the party's ticket for March's presidential election without a run-off vote.

Sunday's results showed again that the DPK's primaries have seen almost no impact from a snowballing land development scandal in Seongnam, south of Seoul, allegedly involving the governor during his time as the city's mayor in 2015.

The main opposition party has accused Lee of masterminding a scheme that ended up providing astronomical profits to asset management firm Hwacheon Daeyu and its seven affiliates after the firm, which was previously unheard of, was selected as a civilian partner for the project in Seongnam.

Governor Lee said his latest win signals "the people's mandate to tackle corrupt forces within society's establishment" and pledged to do his best without putting his mind at ease throughout the rest of the primary.

Former DPK Chairman Lee, meanwhile, said he sees the possibility of an upset as still open. While thanking his supporters, the former prime minister also said he "will try to understand" the hearts of those who did not support him. (Yonhap)