Jung Chung-rae formalizes bid for another term as he steps down: "If Lee Jae-myung succeeds, I succeed too"

[Financial News] Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, effectively formalized his bid for another term on the 24th by stepping down from his post. He did so while saying to pro-Lee Jae-myung lawmakers who were opposing him, "If President Lee succeeds, I succeed too. Don't worry."
Jung chaired the Supreme Council meeting that day and said, "This is my last Supreme Council meeting. I am stepping down as party leader." He resigned ahead of a vote on the party's preparations committee for the national convention and its election management committee. That move is being read as an intention to run in the Aug. 17 national convention and seek another term. Lee Jae-myung had also resigned as party leader just before a vote to form the preparations committee when he previously won reelection as party leader.
The race for the next party leadership is shaping up as a contest between Jung's attempt at reelection and pro-Lee leadership contenders Kim Min-seok, the Prime Minister, and lawmaker Song Young-gil. As internal strife in the party intensifies, Jung said on the day that he would stand with Lee Jae-myung.
Jung highlighted that he had stayed by Lee's side as a Supreme Council member when Lee was party leader and had weathered former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law crisis. He stressed, "Lee is a comrade, a fellow soldier, and our president whom we must make succeed." He added, "Lee and I are a political community of fate. If Lee succeeds, I succeed too. So don't worry. I will defend my loyalty to Lee from the very front."
In the same vein, Jung said he had posted a display summarizing the first year of the Lee Jae Myung administration next to the party leader's office. He said, "The Lee Jae Myung administration must succeed for the Republic of Korea to succeed." He added, "The Democratic Party of Korea will continue to actively support the Lee Jae Myung administration, which is doing a good job, through legislation."
As Jung stepped down, pro-Lee lawmakers fired back from the same venue. Kang Deuk-goo, a pro-Lee Supreme Council member, announced that he would not run in the next Supreme Council election, taking responsibility for the results of the June 3 local elections. Pro-Lee lawmakers are calling on Jung to resign and to forgo running in the national convention, citing responsibility for the party's local election losses, including the defeat in the Seoul mayoral race.
Kang said, "President Lee says the election results were a warning from the public, but Jung says they were a victory. We should not interpret the warning message sent by the people differently." He added, "I am taking responsibility for the results of this local election and will not run in the Supreme Council election."
Park Soo-hyun, the governor-elect of South Chungcheong Province and a figure classified as pro-Jung, also urged the Democratic Party of Korea to reflect and apologize over the local election results. He said, "The subject of reflection is all of us. I myself am no exception."
With Jung's resignation, Han Byung-do will serve as acting party leader until a new leader is chosen, while political appointees including Secretary-General Cho Seung-rae and chief spokesperson Kang Jun-hyun will step down. 

uknow@fnnews.com Kim Yun-ho Reporter