Moon keeps lead in DUP primary

The main opposition Democratic United Party’s presidential frontrunner Rep. Moon Jae-in once again took the lead in the party’s regional primary for Gangwon Province on Tuesday despite a lingering in-party feud over mobile votes.

He won 2,837 votes or 45.8 percent among the total valid ballots.

Moon was followed by Sohn Hak-kyu, Kim Doo-kwan and Rep. Chung Sye-kyun, who won 37.63 percent, 10.96 percent and 5.56 percent, respectively.

It was the former presidential chief-of-staff’s third consecutive win, following victories in Jeju and Ulsan over the weekend.

“Although I won, I cannot be happy,” Moon said after the results were out, mindful of the dispute over the primary rules.

“Creating a powerful strength to change the government is more important than how I came out No. 1,” Moon was quoted as saying by his spokesperson Jin Seon-mi.

During the speeches held before the vote, the other three underdog candidates rallied against Moon, repeating their claims over the last few days that the primary rules were lopsided in Moon’s favor.

“The DUP’s primary is being swayed by a specific power group,” said Kim Doo-kwan.

“The party should remember that it will get nowhere by excluding the people’s opinion from the candidate selection.”

Former party chief Sohn Hak-kyu quoted a biblical passage, calling for justice.

“The strength of the former Democratic Party has always been its exciting primaries,” said Rep. Chung Sye-kyun, also the former Democratic Party chairman.

“I shall revive that valuable tradition and run this race with my best efforts.”

All three implied that Moon and his pro-Roh Moo-hyun faction monopolized the party primary for their political interest.

They nevertheless refrained from making direct assaults against the leading hopeful, largely in consideration of the public’s backlash against the strife.

Their alleviated tone was also due to the people’s anxiety over Typhoon Bolaven which hit the Korean Peninsula Tuesday, officials said.

Rep. Moon placed his focus on unity, as if to blame the underdog candidates and party members for their dissenting moves.

“Our most powerful opponent is outside the party,” he said.

“In order to win, we have to unite as one, instead of assaulting one another.”

In response to the blame over the pro-Roh faction, Rep. Moon admitted that the former Roh administration is to blame for losing the public credit and handing over power to the right-wing.

“It is, however, based on such experiences of failure that we may establish a new era,” he said.

The four presidential candidates, after the Gangwon votes, participated in the “100-minute debate” by broadcaster MBC, to present their policies.

By Bae Hyun-jung ()