![Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae spoke at a joint meeting of central and provincial election committee chairs at the National Assembly on the 10th, stressing the integrity of candidate nominations. [Photo=Yonhap News]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/03/CP-2023-0070/image-0c60148b-834e-49c3-aab0-1e7d00eb7c21.jpeg)
Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae said on the 10th that he would work to secure an unprecedented victory in the June 3 local elections and pledged to conduct primaries that all participants would accept.
At the joint meeting of central and provincial election committee chairs at the National Assembly, Jeong said that, in his recollection, this was the first time the central party election commission and provincial party election chairs had met together ahead of a major vote. He added he hopes the process will help ensure the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration and deliver victory in the local elections.
Jeong outlined a "4 Noes, 4 Strengths" approach to nominations as the key to winning. The "4 Noes" are: no unjust cutoffs, no nominations of ineligible candidates, no parachute candidates, and no corruption. The "4 Strengths" are: the most democratic system, the fairest member-driven candidate selection, the most transparent and open procedures, and the quickest nomination process.
He also noted that the day marked the tenth anniversary of his own cutoff from the party's candidate list, recalling the tearful campaign he led — an episode widely regarded as unprecedented in the party's history. On March 10, 2016, ahead of the 20th general election, the party's decision to exclude him sparked controversy, though he later joined the campaign trail.
Jeong said that if the party completes nominations before the official campaign begins on April 20, as planned, it would be the fastest nomination process in the country's constitutional history.
