![Democratic Party primary candidates vying for the Gyeonggi Province governorship in the June 3 local elections posed for a photo after regional chief candidate interviews at the party’s central headquarters in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the 24th. [Photo=Yonhap News]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/03/CP-2023-0087/image-8171dd16-3b92-44c9-a59b-81e0fd994634.jpeg)
[iNews24 reporter Jo Jeong-hoon] The Democratic Party’s Central Election Commission finalized the schedule on the 10th for joint candidate speeches and the debate for the Gyeonggi governor primary.
The joint candidate speech for the Gyeonggi governor race will be held on the 15th at 2:00 p.m. in the “Member Zone” on the second floor of the party’s central headquarters. The debate is scheduled for the 19th from 5:00 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. at JTBC’s studio and will be broadcast on JTBC’s “Lee Ga-hyeok Live.”
The Gyeonggi preliminary will be decided 100% by registered party member votes. The top three finishers in the preliminary round (the first cut) will advance to the main primary. If none of the top three are a woman or a youth candidate, the highest-ranked woman or youth candidate will be added, bringing the field to four. The main primary will weight party member votes and a national opinion poll equally at 50% each. If no candidate secures a majority, a runoff will be held.
Incumbent Governor Kim Dong-yeon, lawmakers Kwon Chil-seung, Chu Mi-ae and Han Jun-ho, and former lawmaker Yang Ki-dae will compete in the preliminary on the 21st–22nd and in the main primary from the 5th to the 7th of next month.
On the 5th, Kim Eesu, chair of the party’s nomination committee, said, “We will conduct preliminary primaries in Seoul and Gyeonggi in accordance with party rules. We will narrow the field to the top three, but to ensure opportunities for women and younger candidates, if a woman or youth candidate does not make the top three, we will register the highest-ranked such candidate for the main primary.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has confirmed single-candidate nominations in three regions — Gangwon, Incheon and South Gyeongsang — and has moved six regions — Seoul, Gyeonggi, Ulsan, South Jeolla–Gwangju, Jeju, and North Jeolla — into primary contests.
Seven regions where administrative consolidation is being discussed — Chungnam–Daejeon, Daegu–Gyeongbuk and North Chungcheong, Sejong, and Busan — are awaiting screening and primary schedules. Busan opened an additional application period through the 13th. The party plans to complete nominations for the June 3 local elections by the 20th of next month.
