Kang Deuk-gu, a supreme council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, raised the need to supplement the voting method on the 5th regarding the eligible party member voting for the August 17 national convention, saying, "The system must be improved so that more party members can participate in voting."
Speaking at the party's supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Kang said, "There have been points raised that party members' voting rights are being infringed upon in the national convention's regional primaries." He added, "The problem is that voting closes before candidates finish their speeches at the regional joint speech events, diminishing the meaning of the policy addresses."
"At the very least, the system should be improved so that party members can choose to vote after hearing the policy addresses at the joint speech events," he said. "This is what party members demand, and I fully sympathize with it."
Currently, the Democratic Party's national convention eligible party member voting is conducted separately from the schedule of regional joint speech sessions. Kang emphasized the need for reform, arguing that members should be able to decide whether to vote after hearing the candidates' speeches.
Regarding the argument raised by some in the pro-Lee faction to grant additional voting opportunities to members who did not vote, Kang also stressed, "Party members' voting rights must be fully guaranteed." He said, "Party member sovereignty is completed when more members participate in voting," and "We must build a party that values every single member and every single vote."
However, such arguments are leading to controversy over changing the voting method at the final stage of the convention. Candidate Chung Chung-rae appeared on the YouTube program "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory" that day and criticized the idea, saying, "Giving another chance to vote after voting has ended is post-facto voting," calling it a "voting coup." On the other hand, the pro-Lee faction takes the position that supplementary measures are needed to raise the turnout rate and expand party member participation.
