Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Presidential contenders look to attract young voters with range of game industry policies
Lee Jae-myung, right, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), plays Riot Games’ League of Legends at Gwangju Esports Arena in Gwangju, Saturday. Joint Press Corp
By Baek Byung-yeul
As the June 3 presidential election nears, candidates are stepping up efforts to win over voters in their 20s and 30s — a demographic widely seen as pivotal to the outcome — by incorporating the game industry into their campaign strategies.
While candidates have made ambitious promises such as disclosing the odds for randomized in-game item purchases and improving gamers' rights, experts noted many of the pledges made by previous presidents have not been fully realized, raising questions about whether the next administration will fulfill its promises.
"The game industry is not only a form of cultural content that allows presidential candidates to appeal to young voters, but also a sector of significant industrial value," an official in the local game industry said on condition of anonymity.
"However, since many of the pledges made by previous candidates to promote the industry have not been properly implemented, we have to wait and see whether their policies will actually be fulfilled."
Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has taken the most proactive approach, launching a special committee dedicated to the game industry and pledging to strengthen Korean content, foster the game industry, protect gamers' rights and build a robust esports ecosystem.
On March 7, when the DPK launched the committee, Lee underscored the importance of protecting gamers from unfair treatment and positioning games as a healthy form of leisure.
He has repeatedly emphasized the need to revive the domestic game sector, citing its potential as a future growth engine and major cultural export. Also, Lee’s campaign held multiple forums and roundtables with both developers and users, aiming to reflect industry voices in policy.
Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party is focusing on regulatory reform, tax incentives and support for overseas expansion to spur game companies’ growth and investment.
While the party has hosted policy discussions on job creation through game industry exports, it has yet to match the DPK’s level of engagement. Kim’s past involvement in establishing a game cluster in Pangyo, located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, is being highlighted as evidence of his commitment to the sector, and he has pledged to overhaul regulations and taxes to foster a more business-friendly environment.
Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party is advocating for the introduction of global regulatory standards and the establishment of a new regulatory review board.
“I see games and K-content not merely as entertainment, but as strategic export industries and assets for cultural diplomacy. For Korea to enhance its cultural power, a creator-centered ecosystem, relaxed platform entry regulations and a support system for global expansion are necessary,” Lee told local newspaper Digital Daily on May 12.
Lee, who played a key role in shaping digital content policy in the previous election, also launched a unique campaign website that allows voters to engage with his pledges by playing a game on it. Regarding the launch of his campaign web game, he said he aims to allow users to learn about his pledges by playing the game and to utilize it as a channel for political donations.
Despite the flurry of campaign promises, however, some in the industry remain skeptical, citing a lack of follow-through on past pledges and concerns that political engagement is often more performative than substantive.
Looking back at past elections, Yoon Suk Yeol — now an impeached president — made a notable effort to engage young voters by attending a League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) match, Korea's premier esports league hosted by Riot Games, during his presidential campaign in January 2022.
At the event, he held a placard that read, "Cheering for the legends of Korea’s esports," and watched the match in person, presenting himself as a politician who respects esports and gaming culture.
However, among the pledges he made, only the disclosure regarding probability-based item odds was actually realized, underscoring that as candidates compete for the support of the youth, the ability to present actionable visions for the game industry is expected to be a decisive factor in capturing the younger vote.