Representatives Lee Jae-myung and Park Yong-jin of the main opposition Democratic Party(DP) continued campaigning on Wednesday ahead of the regional vote for the next party leader scheduled in the Jeolla provinces this weekend.

Marking the 13th anniversary of the death of former President Kim Dae-jung, Lee vowed to follow the path pioneered by the late leader and seek answers by referring to Kim’s footsteps.

Lee is otherwise keeping a low profile, refraining from any public events and instead remaining in Seoul to hold closed-door discussions with party delegates.

He is believed to be devising strategies to counter an offensive by party forces who oppose him as the next leader.

His rival Park, meanwhile, continued to criticize Lee as he appealed to voters of the Jeolla region, a traditional stronghold of the DP.

Taking aim at Lee's overwhelming lead, Park called for party members to establish principles of checks and balances.

In the third week of the DP convention to elect a new leader, voting will take place this Saturday and Sunday in Gwangju and North and South Jeolla provinces.