Kim Min-seok Elected Chairman of Democratic Party of Korea

Former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok was elected chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea during a national convention at the Daejeon Convention Center on August 17, 2026. Kim secured the leadership with 54.08 percent of the vote, defeating Representative Jung Chung-rae, who received 45.92 percent.

The result was determined through a newly introduced ranked-choice voting system that redistributed second-choice votes after no candidate achieved an absolute majority in the first round. The final tally combined votes from party delegates and dues-paying members, which accounted for 70 percent of the total, with a public opinion poll providing the remaining 30 percent.

Following his victory, Kim pledged to build a "creative, horizontal relationship of cooperation" to support the government and achieve "perfect unity between the party and the government." President Lee Jae Myung sent a congratulatory message urging the party to unite firmly around the new leadership to support administration policies.

In addition to the chairmanship, the convention elected five members to the Supreme Council: Choi Min-hee, Park Sun-won, Seo Mi-hwa, Lee Sung-yoon, and Han Min-soo. Three of these members are aligned with Jung Chung-rae, while two are aligned with the president. Kim, a four-term lawmaker and former student activist, now faces the task of healing internal party divisions amid declining approval ratings for the president.