Shin Jang-sik has been elected as the new leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party. Cha Kyu-keun and Hwang Hyun-sun were elected as supreme council members. The party's ability to survive independently, without former leader Cho Kuk, is expected to be put to the test.
According to the results of the party convention held on the 25th at the Suwon Convention Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Shin, who ran unopposed for the leadership post, recorded 96.7% in favor and 3.3% against in the combined tally of sovereign party member and national delegate votes. In the sovereign party member vote, he won 12,955 votes (98%) in favor and 284 votes (2%) against. In the national delegate vote, he recorded 1,508 votes (92%) in favor and 134 votes (8%) against.
In the supreme council member election, Cha came in first with a combined vote share of 59.4%. Hwang recorded 25.7% for second place and was elected alongside Cha as a supreme council member. Candidate Lee Sook-yoon recorded a combined vote share of 14.9% and was defeated.
In the sovereign party member vote, Cha won 8,090 votes (61.1%), Hwang 3,300 votes (25.0%), and Lee 1,849 votes (14.0%). In the national delegate vote, Cha recorded 863 votes (52.6%), Hwang 470 votes (28.6%), and Lee 309 votes (18.8%).
The party conducted online electronic voting for three days from the 23rd until 3:30 p.m. on the 25th, targeting national delegates (20%) and sovereign party members (80%). In this election, 14,881 of the total 36,051 electorate participated, for a final turnout of 41.3%.
In his policy address, Shin stressed, "I will open the path of self-reliance with strong roots," adding, "Only through self-reliance can we form proper alliances." He also added, "When the two pillars of moderate pragmatism and reform stand properly by establishing a clear pillar of reform, the people's sovereignty government can also succeed."
