[News Today] Lee faces 3 rivals in DP pres. primary

[LEAD]
Now to the Democratic Party. Kim Kyoung-soo, former Gyeongsangnam-do Province governor, also declared he will run for president. With his entry, the race is starting to take shape with 4 presidential candidates in the party.

[REPORT]
Kim Kyoung-soo, ex-Gyeongsangnam-do Province governor and the last secretary for late President Roh Moo-hyun, officially declared his presidential bid in Sejong City.

Pledging to fulfill Roh’s vision of decentralization and balanced development, Kim promised to move the administrative capital to Sejong and pursue local autonomy on par with a federal system.

Kim Kyoung-soo / Former Gyeongsangnam-do governor
Yongsan, a symbol of insurrection, can’t remain the presidential office. The top office should move to Sejong to start a new era of regional governance.

This sets up a four-way race in the Democratic Party primary between Lee Jae-myung, Kim Doo-kwan, Kim Dong-yeon, and Kim Kyoung-soo.

Gyeonggi-do Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon opened his campaign office and shared the results of his recent visit to the U.S.

But he expressed strong dissatisfaction with the party’s primary rules.

Kim Dong-yeon / Gyeonggi-do governor
It goes against the principle of broad public participation. It is deeply regrettable that the primaries appear to become meaningless.

He said he agreed with former Governor Kim Kyoung-soo on relocating the capital to Sejong and forming a coalition government to defend the Constitution.

Former DP leader Lee Jae-myung visited an AI chip maker, stressing the need for state-led investment in advanced industries.

Lee Jae-myung / Former Democratic Party chair
I believe we need to examine what role our nation can play to prepare for an AI society.

Former lawmaker Kim Doo-kwan canceled all his schedules in protest against the party's primary rules.

The Democratic Party is holding a meeting of its election committee on Monday to discuss a primary election schedule.