Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the front-running presidential contender of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), won a sweeping victory Saturday in the first round of the party's national presidential primary election.
Gov. Lee finished first in the primary vote held among registered DP members of the Daejeon-South Chungcheong Province region at the Daejeon Convention Center, earning 54.81 percent of the 25,564 valid votes cast.
Rep. Lee Nak-yon, former DP chairman, finished second with 27.41 percent, followed by former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun picking up 7.84 percent of votes.
Ex-Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Rep. Park Yong-jin came in third and fourth, with 6.67 percent and 2.24 percent, respectively. Rep. Kim Doo-gwan finished fifth, with 0.84 percent of the votes.
"I believe the party members actively threw their support behind the candidate that has the biggest potential in terms of the competitiveness in the general race," Gov. Lee told reporters after the result was announced.
He also promised to focus his campaign on policy and shun negative campaigning against his primary competitors.
Rep. Lee said he "humbly accepts" the results, while pledging to do his best in the ensuing primary elections.
The DP plans to hold 10 additional primary votes across the country, including in the southern city of Gwangju on Sept. 25, to wrap up the final destination in Seoul on Oct. 10.
Source: Yonhap News Agency