Lee Jae-myung Confirmed as the Democratic Party's Presidential Candidate with Record High Support Rate

Former leader of the Democratic Party Lee Jae-myung was elected as the party's presidential candidate on the 27th, garnering an unprecedented support rate of 89.77%.

In particular, the overseas voters' turnout was noteworthy, with an overwhelming support rate of 98.69%.

This marks the highest support rate in the party's internal primary history and the realization of expectations surrounding phrases such as 'Erdemyeong' (Lee Jae-myung is the inevitable candidate) and 'Gu-demyung' (Lee Jae-myung is the candidate with a 90% approval rating).

Candidate Lee received overwhelming support in both party member voting and public opinion polls.

In party member voting, he recorded an accumulated 90.32% support rate, while the regional breakdown showed 88.15% in the Chungcheong region, 90.81% in the Yeongnam region, 88.69% in the Honam region, and 91.54% in the capital area, Gangwon, and Jeju, reflecting balanced support.

In public opinion polls (national voter group voting), he garnered 89.21%, only 1.2 percentage points lower than the party member voting.

In contrast, his competitors Kim Dong-yeon and Kim Kyung-soo received only 7.77% and 3.03%, respectively.

Factors Behind the Landlide Victory: Internal Conflict and Strong Organization

Analysts suggest that various factors contributed to Candidate Lee’s overwhelming victory. Primarily, the 'Judgment of Rebellion' formed during former President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of the emergency martial law on December 3rd and the impeachment process had a substantial impact on the primary results.

Within the Democratic Party, there was a growing atmosphere recognizing the change of regime in the early presidential election as a top priority, and Candidate Lee maintained his lead in polls, being regarded as the most competitive candidate.

The weak competitiveness of candidates from the anti-Lee faction is considered a major factor as well. In the 2021 primary, candidate Lee Nak-yeon from the anti-Lee faction competed aggressively; however, this time, candidates Kim Dong-yeon and Kim Kyung-soo fell significantly behind, failing to make a distinct presence.

This is interpreted as a result of Candidate Lee consolidating control of the party and strengthening organizational power since the last presidential election.

In regional primaries, Candidate Lee’s support was consistently strong. The anti-Lee faction hoped for strategic voting in the Honam region and public opinion polls, but Candidate Lee achieved high support rates not only in Honam (88.69%) but also in Yeongnam (90.81%).

Notably, in overseas voter polls, he received an overwhelming 98.69% support.

In his acceptance speech, Candidate Lee stated, "The 89.77% support from the people and party members electing me as the presidential candidate is a mandate to realize democracy and human rights, peace and safety, recovery and growth, integration and happiness," adding, "I will definitely win and reclaim power. I will repay by creating a completely new country, a real Korea filled with hope and passion."

The results of this primary not only demonstrate the solid support base for Lee Jae-myung within the Democratic Party but also reaffirm the party's cohesion, reaching its highest level in history as the early election approaches.

Meanwhile, Candidate Lee chose the Seoul National Cemetery as the first step in his presidential campaign on the morning of the 28th, beginning his path to unity by paying respects at the graves of former presidents such as Syngman Rhee, Park Chung-hee, and Kim Dae-jung.

Image source: News1, Candidate Lee Jae-myung, elected as the Democratic Party candidate for the 21st presidential election, greets the audience after his acceptance speech at the joint meeting held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on the 27th. / News1 (Joint coverage), Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, heads to the presidential burial site after paying respects at the National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 28th. 2025.4.28 / News1