Jeju: Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok secured victories in the party-member primaries held in Jeju Island and Incheon, marking a significant moment in the ongoing leadership race for the Democratic Party (DP). This success comes just a week after Kim's previous setback against his principal competitor, Jung Chung-rae, the former DP leader.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim managed to outpace Jung with 47.75 percent of the votes compared to Jung's 42.08 percent, as reported by party officials. The votes were cast by dues-paying party members in Incheon and the southern resort island of Jeju. Meanwhile, the third contender, Song Young-gil, attained 10.17 percent.

Kim's win on Saturday signals a comeback after his earlier defeat to Jung in the primaries held in Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang Province on August 2. In that contest, Jung narrowly surpassed Kim with a vote percentage of 46.65 against 43.85. The initial primary was conducted in the central Chungcheong region on August 1, where Kim narrowly defeated Jung with 45.05 percent of the votes to Jung's 44.61 percent.

Across the primaries conducted so far, Kim holds a slight lead over Jung, with 45.42 percent compared to Jung's 44.56 percent. The leadership race within the DP has largely been a rivalry between Jung, who is known for his alignment with the party's hard-line faction, and Kim, who is a key ally of President Lee Jae Myung.

The Democratic Party is set to convene its national convention on August 17, where the new leader will be elected. This leader will significantly influence the nomination of candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for April 2028.