South Korea Democratic Party cuts deposits for 8·17 leadership race

The Democratic Party of South Korea approved a reduction of candidate deposits for its upcoming 8·17 leadership contest. The party leader deposit was lowered from 1 billion won to 800 million won, and the top‑tier (Supreme Council) deposit from 500 million won to 300 million won, each a cut of 200 million won. In addition, a 50 percent discount was extended to youth candidates under 39 and to disabled candidates, allowing them to pay half the usual amount.

The internal contest has become heated, with candidates Kim Min‑seok and Jeong Cheong‑rae trading accusations of “Shincheonji” ties and dual party membership. Kim warned that the party will purge “ghost members” and highlighted reform issues such as prosecution reform and a one‑person‑one‑vote system. Jeong stressed the party’s commitment to historic continuity and called for unified reform. Recent polling by the Korean Social Opinion Institute shows the two candidates virtually tied, each drawing roughly 21‑25 percent support nationwide, with slightly higher backing within the party’s base.