Voter Turnout for UNDP Primary Is Just 20 Percent

Chung Dong-young, former chairman of the Uri Party, is leading the primary of United New Democratic Party. In Gangwon-do primary, he ranked third with 2,311 votes (31.1 percent) and first in Chungbuk with 6,334 votes (52.7 percent) on September 16, which comfortably placed him the first. He also got the most votes in Jeju and Ulsan on the previous day, the first day of the primary. The total number of votes he obtained stood at 13,910 (39.6 percent).

Sohn Hak-kyu, the former governor of Gyeong-gi-do, placed second in Jeju, Gangwon and Chungbuk and ranked third in Ulsan. Collectively, he was positioned as the second candidate in the election with 9,368 votes (26.7 percent).

Rhyu Si-min, a pro-Roh candidate, abandoned his run for office on September 15 when he ranked fourth on the first day of the primary. He then proclaimed that he would support former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, another pro-Roh contender. In the first primary election week, which will take place as a nationwide circuit vote, the average voter turnout rate was around 20 percent. Criticism is mounting that the low turnout is an inevitable result of the mandatory mobilization of Electoral College voters.

gun43@donga.com