The Democratic Party of South Korea will re-examine its candidate deposit policies following backlash over high fees for its Aug. 17 national convention.
The controversy centers on the financial barriers preventing younger and less wealthy party members from seeking leadership roles. High deposits can effectively gatekeep political power, limiting the diversity of candidates who can realistically run for office.
Fees for those seeking the party leadership position were set at 100 million KRW [1]. For candidates seeking top-tier positions, the deposit was set at 50 million KRW [1]. These figures prompted immediate criticism from within the party, as members argued the costs were prohibitive.
Jeong Min-cheol, a 26-year-old candidate and Deputy Head of the Democratic Party Policy Committee, highlighted the struggle to fund a campaign under current laws [1]. He said that attempting to receive sponsorships similar to those of National Assembly members resulted in violations of the Political Funds Act [1].
"I tried to do it by receiving support like members of the National Assembly, but that is a violation of the Political Funds Act," Jeong said [1]. He said that if he could have received money from relatives to run, these problems would not exist [1].
Former party leader Lee Jae-myung intervened in the dispute, urging the party to return the deposit levels to those seen before the pandemic [2]. He said that lowering the burden for youth candidates is necessary to ensure fair participation in the political process [2].
Following Lee's intervention, the party agreed to revisit the policy to alleviate the financial strain on hopefuls ahead of the Aug. 17 convention [2].
“The Democratic Party of South Korea will re-examine its candidate deposit policies following backlash over high fees.”
This dispute reflects a broader tension within South Korean politics between maintaining party stability and the push for youth representation. By challenging the deposit system, the Democratic Party is addressing whether its internal financial requirements act as a systemic barrier to entry for a new generation of leaders who lack established wealth or fundraising networks.
