"After the local elections comes the party leadership race" ... Will Jung Chung-rae and Jang Dong-hyeok seek another term or face a shake-up? [The Choice of Public Sentiment on June 3]

As the June 3 local elections came to a close, both the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party are expected to enter a competition for the next party leadership. The DPK is scheduled to hold a party convention in August to elect its next leader, while the People Power Party is likely to shift to an emergency committee if the Jang Dong-hyeok leadership collapses, followed by a party convention. The next party leader will hold enormous influence in politics, as the post comes with control over candidate nominations for the 23rd general election, set for April 2028.
Among the likely contenders for the DPK leadership are party chief Jung Chung-rae, who appears certain to seek another term, along with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and former party leader Song Young-gil. Some analysts say the rivalry among factions has already begun during the local election campaign.
Jung strengthened his influence by leading the party through the local election campaign. If the DPK scores a landslide victory, it would likely give his bid for re-election a green light.
However, if the DPK loses in some battleground races, it would be difficult to rule out setbacks for Jung's re-election bid. In particular, if independent candidate Kim Kwan-young wins the Jeonbuk governor race, it would deal a major blow to Jung. Kim entered the race after being expelled by the leadership over allegations of cash handouts, calling it "political persecution by the pro-Jung faction." If the DPK were to lose the Jeonbuk governorship for the first time in history, calls for Jung to take responsibility could grow.
Kim, the prime minister, is Jung's strongest rival. While serving as prime minister, he has gained both governing experience and a public image as a key figure in the Lee Jae-myung administration. Kim is expected to rally pro-Lee forces and challenge for the party leadership. Political circles are also discussing the possibility that he will step down after the local elections and begin preparing for a leadership bid.
Former party leader Song, who is running in the by-election for Incheon Yeonsu A, is also one of the next leadership contenders. During the local election campaign, he took positions that differed from Jung's leadership and openly clashed with it. He criticized Jung's so-called "older brother controversy," saying, "It is better to just provide support rather than have the central leadership go there and make mistakes." He also made no effort to hide remarks that appeared to defend Kim Kwan-young, the independent Jeonbuk governor candidate who is in conflict with Jung.
The prevailing view is that the People Power Party will also face a leadership race. With a crushing defeat expected not only in the local elections but also in the National Assembly by-elections, responsibility is likely to be raised over the current leadership.
If Jang steps down, the role of the next floor leader will become highly important. Current floor leader Song Eon-seok's term runs until the 15th, and an election for the next floor leader will be held immediately afterward. Jeong Jeom-sik, Sung Il-jong, Park Dae-chul and Kim Do-eup are among those being mentioned as possible candidates.
The party leadership race is also expected to be intense. For now, the field appears to start with Jang Dong-hyeok seeking another run, followed by former MOEL Minister Kim Moon-soo, who has been actively campaigning during the local election period, as well as lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Ahn Cheol-soo. If Oh Se-hoon loses his bid for Seoul mayor, a scenario in which he enters the leadership race is also being discussed. If Han Dong-hoon wins a seat in the Busan Buk-gu-gap constituency by-election, he is expected to try to rejoin the party, but his ties with hardline party members have worsened, making it difficult not only to seize the leadership but even to return to the party.
Still, some observers cautiously say Jang may not give up the leadership easily. If the party performs well in Daegu–Gyeongbuk (TK), Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (PK), Seoul, the Chungcheong region and Gangwon State, his leadership would need to be reassessed. In that case, Jang could remain in office without stepping down until next year, or seek a vote of confidence from party members.
haeram@fnnews.com Lee Hae-ram Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter