Song Young-gil launches bid for South Korea Democratic Party leadership

Former Democratic Party leader Song Young‑gil announced his candidacy for the party’s chairmanship at a press conference in Yeouido on August 8. He criticized the June 3 local elections as a “victory in a shell” and warned that “if we take it lightly, the next general election will be a red card” and that no “paper‑government” will be recreated in the next parliamentary race. Song pledged to back President Lee Jae‑myung, saying, “I, Song Young‑gil, protected President Lee and overcame the prosecutor’s authoritarian regime.” He called for the ruling party to become the engine of the administration’s three mega‑projects, removing obstacles in legislation, budgeting and regulation. The announcement follows similar moves by former prime minister Kim Min‑seok and other potential contenders such as Jeong Cheong‑rae, signalling an intensifying leadership battle ahead of the party’s August 17 convention.