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Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, who was chosen as the Democratic Party’s candidate for president, gives a double thumbs-up ahead of his acceptance speech Sunday at Olympic Park in Seoul’s Songpa District. (National Assembly pool photo)

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung was officially chosen Sunday as the Democratic Party candidate for South Korea’s 20th presidential election.

But his path to the slate was a nail-biter, coming in spite of a loss to former party leader Lee Nak-yon in the so-called super week, consisting of the third round of electoral college voting with the public and party members taking part. Lee Nak-yon’s camp effectively protested the results, by objecting to the party election management committee’s approach of invalidating the votes received by previous contenders Chung Sye-kyun and Kim Du-kwan after they dropped out of the race.

With Lee Jae-myung earning a cumulative 50.29% of the votes in the party’s multiple-round primary between Sept. 4 and Sunday, the decision was made to make him the candidate without a runoff.

In the Seoul primary taking place at Olympic Park in Seoul’s Songpa District that day, he won 51.45% of votes, taking first over Lee Nak-yon (36.5%), former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae (9.91%), and lawmaker Park Yong-jin (2.14%).

But results released that day from the third round of electoral college voting showed Lee Nak-yon with more than twice as many votes, pulling in 62.37% to Lee Jae-myung’s 28.3%.

Despite predictions that Lee Jae-myung would coast to the nomination, he only just managed to clear the halfway mark with 50.29%. Analysts suggest that allegations about preferential treatment in the development of Seongnam’s Daejang neighborhood had more of an impact on public opinion than opinion within the Democratic Party.

The voting rate for the third super week was also its highest of the rounds of local primary contests at 81.39%.

In his speech accepting the nomination, Lee Jae-myung said he intended to “carry out the changes and reforms the Korean people are demanding.”

“This will be the start of a great journey with a great public and great fellow party members,” he said.

In an apparent nod to the Daejang neighborhood allegations, he also said he planned to implement “powerful real estate reforms” as soon as elected in order to “wash away the stigma of this being a country of unearned real estate income.”

He further said he intended to “not waste a moment of time” in efforts to “root out corrupt practices by politicians colluding with developers.”

He announced plans for a nationwide expansion of the construction and lot sale price disclosure system implemented in Seongnam and Gyeonggi Province, along with a system for returning development profits to the people.

Stressing that the Daejang neighborhood allegations were a scandal for the opposition People Power Party and the asset management company Hwacheon Daeyu, he pledged to ensure the full return of development profits — even after the fact — in cases where individuals are caught engaging in bribery and other illegal activities during projects.

Meeting with reporters shortly after the primary was decided, Lee Jae-myung said, “I feel a truly great weight of responsibility.”

“I intend to honor the public’s will with greater humility and diligence,” he said.

Mentioning other contenders by name in his acceptance speech Sunday, he said he planned to “work with them to the end as colleagues in creating a fourth democratic administration — the Lee Jae-myung administration.” His message stressing “oneness” came after a party primary race marred by mudslinging.

But in an emergency meeting that evening, Lee Nak-yon’s election camp made the decision to lodge an objection Monday with the party’s election management committee. They are contending that Lee Jae-myung would not have received a majority of votes — preventing a runoff — had the previous votes for Chung Sye-kyun and Kim Du-kwan not been discounted after they dropped out of the race.

With Lee Nak-yon protesting the election outcome, the hangover from the primary appears poised to continue.

Meeting with the press on Sunday, Lee Jae-myung said, “There’s a party constitution and party rules, so I’m sure [the party] will interpret things appropriately and make the right decision.”

Sources also said Lee Jae-myung was considering resigning as governor of Gyeonggi Province within the week. This raises the likelihood that he will step down before a parliamentary audit of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, which he originally said he planned to attend as an organizational witness on Oct. 18 and 20.

By Seo Young-ji and Shim Wu-sam, staff reporters

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