Roh and Rhee of MDP Each Lead in South Cholla, North Chungcheong , and Lee of GNP Dominates Incheon

Candidate Roh Moo-Hyun took the first position in South Cholla Province primary race of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) held on April 14 while Rhee In-Je was the first winner in North Chungcheong Province primary on April 13. In other hand, candidate Lee Hoe-Chang was dominant in Incheon primary on April 13, which was the first of the regional primaries of the Grand National Party (GNP), by taking up 1,111 votes (79.3 percent) among the 1,401 valid votes cast.

In MDP South Cholla primary held in Suncheon Palma stadium, candidate Roh took 1,297 votes (62.0 percent) among the 2,098 valid votes, and candidates Rhee and Chung Dong-Young received 340 votes (16.3 percent) and 454 votes (21.7 percent), respectively.

In other hand, candidate Rhee got 734 votes (61.0 percent) among the 1,204 valid votes cast, and candidates Roh and Chung received 387 votes (32.1 percent) and 83 votes (6.9 percent), respectively, in North Chungcheong Province primary held in Chungju Indoor stadium.

Candidate Roh, which took the first positions in nine regions among 13 regional primaries held so far, is leading the MDP primary race with the accumulated votes of 9,702 (48.2 percent), which are 1,512 votes more than candidate Rhee. The accumulated votes of candidates Rhee and Chung are 8,190 (40.7 percent), and 2,240 (11.1 percent), respectively. The voter turnout rate in South Cholla and North Chungcheong primaries are 64.0 percent and 59.2 percent, respectively.

In Incheon GNP presidential race held in Incheon Indoor stadium, candidate Lee Bu-Young took the second position with 201 votes (14.3 percent), and candidate Choe Byung-Yul and Rhee Shang-Hi trailed with 79 votes (5.6 percent) and 10 votes (0.7 percent), respectively. As candidate Lee Hoe-Chang won a landslide victory in Incheon primary, it seems candidate Lee will continue to dominate the following primaries. The voter turnout rate in Incheon was 60.1 percent.

Sung-Won Park swpark@donga.com · Yong-Gwan Jung yongari@donga.com