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Park Chan-dae, a candidate for Democratic Party chair, delivers his policy speech during the national convention of the Democratic National Reform Council—a key pro-Lee Jae-myung faction—held at Osco in Cheongju on June 29. / Source: Yonhap News

Park Chan-dae, a candidate in the Democratic Party’s leadership race, vowed on June 29 to form “a flawless one-team party-government alliance” while emphasizing his full support for President Lee Jae-myung’s administration.

Speaking at the 2025 national convention of the Democratic National Reform Council—considered the largest pro-Lee Jae-myung faction outside the party’s formal structure—Park declared, “I will focus solely on the success of the Lee Jae-myung people-powered government.”

Addressing supporters gathered at the Osco Grand Ballroom in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Park celebrated the faction’s accomplishments, saying, “Every year, we have brought about a political tidal wave. Within just a year of its founding, this group led us to a historic first—a parliamentary majority for the opposition and a sweeping general election victory. A year later, we changed the government and made the Lee Jae-myung administration a reality.”

Park now aims to expand that success into local politics. “We changed the legislative and executive branches—now we must change local power,” he said, pledging to immediately launch a local election task force if elected party leader. He also promised to minimize disqualifications in candidate selection and expand primary elections to strengthen the voice of party members.

He stressed his commitment to reform, promising to complete long-standing goals such as prosecution reform, judicial reform, and media reform “in the shortest time possible.” Regarding prosecution reform specifically, he added, “It will be finished before Chuseok.”

Park further pledged to grow the party into “a larger and stronger governing force,” one that includes moderate conservatives, expands support in the Yeongnam region, and appeals to younger generations to become “a truly national party for all ages.”