▲ The three candidates vying for the leadership of the Democratic Party -- Song Young-gil, Jung Chung-rae and Kim Min-seok (from L to R) -- applaud before their joint speech session in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 16, 2026. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) is set to elect a new leader at its national convention later Monday, a choice that could shape its relations with President Lee Jae Myung and its strategy for the 2028 parliamentary elections.

So far, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has been leading Rep. Jung Chung-rae, who is seeking a second consecutive term as DP leader.

Kim has garnered 49.91 percent of the votes in the regional primaries, while Jung has earned 41.51 percent. Former DP leader Song Young-gil was a distant third with 8.58 percent.

Only the results of voting by dues-paying party members eligible to vote in party elections have been released so far, while the results of voting by party delegates and the general public will be announced at the national convention.

Under a one-person, one-vote system being used for the first time, votes from party delegates and dues-paying party members make up 70 percent of the final result, with votes from the general public accounting for the remaining 30 percent.

The new leader will lead the ruling party into the 2028 parliamentary elections and wield considerable influence over the nomination of candidates, while also playing a key role in advancing Lee's legislative agenda.

The DP currently holds 161 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, giving it enough seats to pass ordinary legislation without opposition support.

The outcome of the 2028 parliamentary elections could determine how much legislative momentum Lee retains for the final two years of his term, which ends in 2030.

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