South Korea's Democratic Party leadership race fuels intra‑party clash

South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party has entered the final stage of its 8·17 leadership convention, with five candidates—including Kim Min‑seok, Jeong Cheong‑rae, Song Young‑gil, Ko Min‑jung and Kim Bo‑mi—vying for the party chair. Party elders and younger members warn the contest is turning into a struggle over past allegiances rather than a forward‑looking policy debate, urging a focus on future issues such as youth housing and asset formation.

At the same time, the newly convened 22nd National Assembly sees a sharp confrontation between the Democratic Party and the opposition People Power Party. The opposition has launched a filibuster to block a bill extending the investigation period of the special prosecutor law by 30 days, accusing the government of expanding a costly “special investigation” apparatus. The deadlock has also delayed the full formation of standing committees, leaving many legislative functions stalled.

Polls released ahead of the convention show the Democratic Party’s support slipping, with its rating falling to 43.1% and notable declines among voters in their 50s and 60s. Analysts link the drop to internal factional battles and criticism over the party’s focus on historic “traditional” politics rather than concrete policy proposals.