Democratic Party of Korea leadership candidates Rep. Kim Min-seok (from left), Rep. Jung Chung-rae and Rep. Song Young-gil raise their clasped hands at a joint campaign speech event for the party's leadership elections at the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center on Sunday. (Yonhap) The ruling Democratic Party of Korea's leadership primary continued Sunday in the southeastern region, with front-runners accusing each other of breaking the party's ethics' code and endangering the party.On Sunday, the three candidates — previous party Chair Rep. Jung Chung-rae, former Prime Minister Rep. Kim Min-seok and another former party chair, Rep. Song Young-gil — continued the competition in Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province, each upping their attacks while attempting to appeal to dues-paying members."Democracy is changing those responsible (for failures), and that is the Democratic Party," Kim said in his speech in Ulsan, referring to the party's performance in the June local elections, and Jung's part in that outcome.Jung was the party's chair during the local elections. Despite overall positive results for the ruling party, losing key races including the Seoul mayoral election has fueled criticism against the party leadership.Kim said that Saturday's outcome was an expression of the will of party members defeating unfair rules and advantages given to those in power, referring to Jung.The former prime minister said that those who fanned factionalism and launched groundless criticism against rival candidates will be put to the party's ethics committee.Jung, meanwhile, countered that it is Kim who should face the ethics committee, pointing to Kim's earlier claims of religious group Shincheonji attempting to influence the party's leadership race.In Saturday's vote, Kim edged out Jung by 303 votes in the Chungcheong region, comprising South Chungcheong Province, North Chungcheong Province, Daejeon and Sejong. Kim won a total 30,632 votes, or 45.06 percent, against Jung's 30,329 votes, or 44.61 percent. Six-term lawmaker Rep. Song Young-gil received 7,027 votes — just 10.34 percent. Jung's defeat in the first round was notable because South Chungcheong Province is his home ground. The result gave Kim the advantage in the opening stage of the race, despite the slim margin of just 0.45 percentage point.Jung thanked supporters in a Facebook post Saturday, saying, "An organization cannot beat a groundswell. Party members would ultimately prevail." He asked party members to "stand by me" and vowed to "repay your support with victory."Kim wrote Sunday morning that he was "deeply grateful for the opening result" and would "campaign until the final day to encourage every possible member to vote."Kim stepped down as prime minister in June to enter the race, casting himself as the contender best positioned to support the Lee Jae Myung administration.Jung is seeking a second consecutive term as party leader, amid speculation over friction with the presidential office following political and policy disagreements.Song, a former party leader and Incheon mayor, is also seeking a return to the party's head post.The three candidates are ranked first, second and third through votes cast by party members who have paid party fees and met voting eligibility rules.If no candidate secures a majority of first-choice votes, the last-place contender is eliminated and those ballots are redistributed according to voters' second choices.National delegates also vote for the candidates on Aug. 17, at the national convention. Votes from dues-paying party members and national delegates account for 70 percent of the final result. A separate nationwide public opinion poll makes up the remaining 30 percent.After Chungcheong and the southeast, the race moves to Jeju Island and Incheon; Gangwon Province, Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province; Honam, comprising Gwangju and the two Jeolla provinces; and finally Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.