Lee Jae-myung, past advocate for North Korea engagement, wins ROK party primary | NK News
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September 21, 2026Sep 21, 2026

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Lee Jae-myung, past advocate for North Korea engagement, wins ROK party primary

Frontrunner in June 3 election has pivoted toward center, focusing little on inter-Korean issues in his campaign so far

South Korean opposition lawmaker Lee Jae-myung won the primary to be the Democratic Party’s (DP) presidential nominee in a landslide vote on Sunday, setting him up as the clear favorite to become the country’s next leader.

But while the progressive politician has a long track record of promoting engagement with North Korea, his recent pivot toward the political center and his lack of focus on inter-Korean issues while campaigning raise questions about how much he will prioritize improving relations with Pyongyang before and after the June 3 presidential election.

Lee took an overwhelming 89.8% of the ballots in the DP’s