As the Democratic Party of Korea prepares for the critical Gyeonggi Province governor race on June 3, attention is shifting toward which candidate will secure more than half of the votes in the forthcoming main election. The party has confirmed five candidates for the primary race, namely, incumbent governor Kim Dong-yeon, and lawmakers Lee Jae-myung, Han Joon-ho, Kwon Chil-seung, and former lawmaker Yang Gi-dae. The race will be a fierce contest based around whether to retain the incumbent or opt for a change, affecting the dynamics of the primary itself.

The Democratic Party’s Candidate Recommendation Management Committee has established a preliminary election process (cut-off) aimed at narrowing down candidates, usually to the top three. However, if no female or youth candidates are among the top rankings, an additional candidate may be included, potentially leading to a maximum of four in the main election. This is expected to favor female candidate Chun Mi-ae, nearly guaranteeing her participation in forthcoming rounds as she is seen as a prominent contender.

Significantly, the competition will primarily revolve around the popularity of Kim Dong-yeon, who possesses the advantages of being an incumbent governor, versus the strong party loyalty represented by Chun Mi-ae and Han Joon-ho. With the preliminary election set to be determined by a 100% vote from party members, party organization strength may play a critical role in the outcomes. Furthermore, if no candidate secures a majority in the subsequent main election, the possibilities for surprise alliances or changes in candidates may shape the electoral outcome differently, setting the stage for a complex and potentially unpredictable primary election process, which will conclude with the final candidate selection by April 20.