Rep. Lee Jae-myung, former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), won primaries in the southeastern cities of Busan and Ulsan for party leader Saturday, as he looks to secure a second term.

In June, Lee resigned to run for reelection as the current party rule stipulates the party chair must resign from his leadership position to be eligible as a candidate.

During Saturday’s primary, Lee won 92.08 percent of combined ballots cast by registered party members in Busan, followed by former Interior Minister Kim Doo-gwan with 7.04 percent and another candidate, Kim Ji-soo, at 0.98 percent.

Ahead of the Busan primary, the DP held a primary in the adjacent city of Ulsan, where Lee also earned 90.56 percent support.

So far, the DP has held six primaries out of its 15-leg race across the country.

The party is scheduled to elect a new leader during a national convention on Aug. 18 based on the results of the primaries, a survey of the general public and online polls by party representatives.

Lee is
widely expected to win his second term and is considered a leading candidate for the liberal party for the next presidential election in 2027, though he is at the heart of several scandals, including a land development scandal in Seongnam, south of Seoul.

Source: Yonhap News Agency