Reps. Kwon Young-ghil, left, and Sim Sang-jeong raise their hands at a preliminary of the Democratic Labor Party, at a gymnasium in southern Seoul, Sunday. The two are set to clash in a runoff this week. / Yonhap

By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

Reps. Kwon Young-ghil and Shim Sang-jeung of the socialist Democratic Labor Party (DLP) are set to vie in a runoff this week to become the party's presidential candidate after Kwon failed to get support of 50 percent in Sunday's preliminary vote.

In a race in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, former DLP chairman Kwon, 66, won support of 48 percent, or 7,674 out of 15,907 eligible voters, followed by Shim with 27 percent, or 4,316 votes.

But Kwon fell short of garnering combined support of 50 percent or more in all areas. He earned 49.4 percent of the total eligible votes, while Shim earned 26.1 percent and Rep. Roh Hoe-chan won 24.5 percent.

Following the ballot counting, Kwon asked his supporters to join hands to open a new era with him. ``People voted for me because I support peace and unification of the Korean Peninsula and oppose a free trade agreement (FTA) between Korea and the United States.''

Shim, the runner-up, said votes for her show that people want the DLP to be reborn as a stronger party responsible for improving the people's standard of living. ``The votes are a rigid order that the DLP should win the presidential election with dynamic politics.''

The voter turnout stood at 77.8 percent.

The party's rules stipulate that it must hold a second primary runoff between the first and second placed runners if the 50 percent figure is not attained.

The runoff ballot will take place for six days beginning Monday and the final result will be announced Saturday.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr