Kim Du-gwan, a former member of the Democratic Party of Korea and ex-Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do, has proposed a fully open primary for selecting the Democratic Party’s candidate for the 21st presidential election. This complete open primary would allow the participation of the entire electorate, not just party supporters, to decide the candidate. On April 10, his spokesperson Baek Wang-sun emphasized the importance of public interest and involvement in the candidate selection process, stating that overwhelming national support is crucial for electoral victory and to overcome divisive forces.
Baek further elaborated that the proposed method would enable any citizen over the age of 18 with a national ID card to vote, despite the potential high costs involved. The campaign believes that using party funds for this purpose is justified to ensure public participation and achieve a decisive victory in the presidential election.
The spokesperson also mentioned that while they have been advocating for a fully open primary involving the entire electorate, this approach has faced setbacks. Therefore, they suggest implementing the open primary at least within the Democratic Party’s internal elections. Baek highlighted the necessity of candidate agreements, as seen in the 18th presidential candidate primary, for establishing the rules of the primary election process, stressing that any unilateral decision by the party would not be democratic.