DPK leadership hopefuls put presidential alignment, youth at center

Rep. Song Young-gil of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) announces his bid to run for the party leadership position at the DPK headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

What was expected to be a three-way race for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leadership gained an unexpected entrant Wednesday, as Rep. Koh Min-jung declared her candidacy, joining Rep. Song Young-gil and former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who announced his bid Monday.

Rep. Jung Chung-rae, who stepped down as party chair last month, is also expected to formally enter the race in the coming days.

Candidates have highlighted two themes: winning back younger voters and bringing the party into closer alignment with the presidential office ahead of the Aug. 17 convention, which will elect a new leader and Supreme Council to serve a two-year term under the Lee Jae Myung administration.

Song, a former DPK leader and six-term lawmaker, made youth representation the centerpiece of his pledge, saying "Without the support from those in their 20s and 30s, we cannot win the presidential election in 2030."

"If elected party leader, I will appoint two designated Supreme Council members in their 20s and 30s and establish a 2030 Special Committee and platform to give younger voices direct participation into the party's major decision-making process,” Song said during a speech announcing his bid on Wednesday.

Song also cast the race in broader terms, stressing that the party must defend democratic values as far-right movements gain ground globally.

"Amid a global shift toward the far-right, the democratic Lee Jae Myung administration will be exceptionally valuable on the world stage," he said. "To safeguard Korea’s sovereignty and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula, we must establish a powerful political coalition that will back the Lee administration with ironclad support. As the ruling party, it is our mission to bring together moderates, rational conservatives and those in their 20s and 30s — transcending their personal likes and dislikes — to unite for the future and progress of our nation."

Rep. Koh Min-jung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea announces her bid for party leadership at the National Assembly, Wednesday. Yonhap

Koh's entry was the race's most unexpected development. The two-term lawmaker and former spokesperson for the presidential office under the Moon Jae-in administration, who also worked as a news anchor before entering politics, is the only female candidate in the contest.

She launched her bid with a pledge to rejuvenate the party and win back younger voters, criticizing the previous leadership for failing to connect with those in their 20s and 30s in the June 3 local elections.

"To the young people, the DPK was a vested interest group that created inequality and left it unaddressed — a hypocritical force that climbed the ladder of social mobility and then kicked it away. It repeatedly stirred internal conflicts over issues far removed from people's lives while falling short in actually caring for them. It is painful to acknowledge, but I believe this is where the DPK must begin again," Koh said.

She vowed to rebuild that relationship from the ground up, pledging to expand youth quotas in central and provincial party roles and create new channels for younger voices to be heard.

“I will create a way for a DPK that could listen to the voices of youth outside and foster young people within the party.”