Democratic Party leadership candidates pitch Gyeonggi visions: Kim on semiconductors, Jung on reform, Song on peace

The three candidates vying to lead the Democratic Party of Korea — Kim Min-seok, Jung Chung-rae and Song Young-gil, in speaking order — threw themselves into a joint campaign rally in Gyeonggi Province on Sunday, each presenting region-specific development visions and policy solutions in a bid to win over party members.

Kim laid out three core goals for Gyeonggi Province as he appealed for support. "Leading the future and the world through semiconductors, driving reform in South Korea and beyond through policies like basic income and local currency, and normalizing the border areas of northern Gyeonggi Province," he said, adding that if elected party leader he would give the province and Gov. Choo Mi-ae his full backing on all three fronts.

Kim also pledged to address the province's fiscal structure. "If I become party leader, I will share the burden of Gyeonggi Province's fiscal pressures," he said. "I will fix the lopsided system where Gyeonggi Province builds the infrastructure but only certain cities and counties pocket the revenue."

Turning to the three major mega-projects planned for the Honam region, Kim said they "may at first appear to be about reviving the regions rather than the greater Seoul area, but they will ultimately benefit Gyeonggi Province, which set the semiconductor locomotive in motion." He added that he would ensure "the semiconductor locomotive already running in Gyeonggi Province does not fall behind."

Kim also said that "Kim Min-seok and a new Democratic Party will open an era that normalizes the abnormal in the border areas of northern Gyeonggi Province," and pledged to "stake the fate of the party and the government on winning through and ushering in a 'K-Golden Age.'"

Jung calmly acknowledged his deficit following Saturday's Honam regional primary and vowed to stage a comeback. "A farmer does not blame the field," he said, adding that he would "walk steadily forward, using the tears of comrades as straw sandals."

He then put party unity and uninterrupted reform at the center of his pitch. "We won when we were united and lost when we were divided," Jung said. "Reform is the Democratic Party's identity — we won when we reformed and were rejected when we failed to."

On livelihood and industrial policy, Jung said he would "urgently draw up a supply-side plan to stabilize the greater Seoul real estate market and normalize the Korea Land and Housing Corporation first," and pledged to "drive the Honam semiconductor cluster to success through momentum, breakthrough and speed."

Song invoked Gyeonggi Province's security situation as a border region between the two Koreas and called for the peace process to be restarted. "No matter how much we develop the economy or build an AI powerhouse, what happens if inter-Korean relations are shaken?" he said. Song added that he would work alongside President Lee Jae Myung "with burning passion to overcome the division of the nation and accomplish what Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in could not fully achieve."

Song went on to say he would "become a vanguard in changing the Cold War structure on the Korean Peninsula by making the North Korea-US summit a success," and urged supporters to "cast a vote for HBM Song Young-gil, who will walk alongside President Lee in building a peace structure on the Korean Peninsula with blazing passion and determination."