Rep. Lee Jae-myung, a former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), collected two wins in primaries to elect a new party leader Sunday, winning more than 80 percent of the vote both in the southern city of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province.
Sunday’s wins further solidified Lee’s chances to take the helm of the DP for another term after sweeping 89 percent of the vote in nine primaries held through Saturday. Four primaries remain after Sunday’s.
Lee stepped down as DP leader in June in order to seek reelection.
In Gwangju, Lee won 83.61 percent of the vote, followed by former two-term lawmaker Kim Doo-gwan with 14.56 percent and another candidate Kim Ji-soo with 1.82 percent. In South Jeolla Province, Lee won 82.48 percent of the vote, followed by Kim with 15.66 percent.
The DP primaries will end in Seoul on Aug. 17, and the party will announce a new leader and new members of its Supreme Council in a national convention set for Aug. 18.
Source: Yonhap News Agency