Will gender divide among young voters impact presidential election?

Lee Jae-myung, second from right, the presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a meeting with young farmers in Boeun County, North Chungcheong Province, May 6. Joint Press Corps

By Lee Hyo-jin

• Published May 26, 2025 5:01 PM KST

Young women remain loyal to liberals while young men emerge as swing voters

A stark gender divide among Korea's young generation is increasingly defining the nation's political landscape, influencing elections and policy debates.

This schism was evident in the 2022 presidential election when then-conservative candidate Yoon Suk Yeol secured victory largely thanks to robust support from men in their 20s and 30s. Conversely, his liberal opponent, Lee Jae-myung, garnered significant backing from young women, many of whom were alienated by Yoon's campaign pledges, including his controversial promise to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

This gender-based political polarization has intensified over recent months amid political turmoil caused by Yoon's martial law declaration.

Young women emerged as a dominant force in mass protests demanding Yoon’s ouster, while young men were the least active group in those demonstrations — with some even moving further to the right and continuing to support the now-impeached president.

As the June 3 presidential election nears, attention is turning to whether this gender divide will once again play a decisive role in determining Korea's next leader.

Early signs suggest that young women are remaining loyal to the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), while young men have become a more unpredictable bloc.

In a survey of 3,000 eligible voters conducted by Hankook Research at the request of the Hankook Ilbo and released on May 19, nearly 50 percent of women in their 20s expressed support for the DPK candidate. Among women in their 30s, 41 percent backed Lee, making him the leading choice among women in both age groups.

In contrast, young male voters were more divided.

Among men in their 20s, Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative Reform Party led with 26 percent. Men in their 30s leaned slightly toward the DPK’s Lee, with 34 percent backing him. Kim Moon-soo, the candidate of the People Power Party (PPP), did not emerge as the top choice among either age group.

The survey also revealed relatively high levels of political apathy among young men. Nearly 30 percent of men in their 20s said they were reluctant to vote at all, with 26 percent of men in their 30s expressing similar sentiments.

The survey was conducted online with 3,000 eligible voters nationwide from May 12 to 13. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level and a response rate of 31.5 percent. Full details are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission’s website.

A 30-something man surnamed Joo, who works as a fitness trainer in Seoul, is one of them. Although he voted for Yoon in 2022, he now expresses deep disappointment with the ousted administration.

"Honestly, I don’t know what Yoon accomplished while he was in office. The economy got worse, prices soared and housing became even harder to afford. Then he completely blew it with the martial law declaration," Joo told The Korea Times. "I don’t want to vote for someone from the PPP again, but none of the other candidates seem appealing either."

Political commentator Park Sang-byeong believes the sharp gender divide seen in the previous election is likely to fade this time, as disappointment among young men toward Yoon and the PPP is weakening their sense of unity.

"Young women still tend to support the liberal party. But many young men who were disillusioned by Yoon, especially those who saw the martial law declaration as a betrayal of their values of fairness and justice, are unlikely to return to the PPP," he said. "These young male voters are likely to split between Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party and the DPK."

He also noted that, unlike the last election, when gender equality and feminism were central issues for young voters, candidates are now distancing themselves from those polarizing topics.

Political commentator Rhee Jong-hoon echoed that view, saying the traditional trend of young women leaning liberal is likely to persist. However, young voters as a whole — regardless of gender — are becoming more issue-oriented, he said.

"Traditional factors like party loyalty, regionalism or ideology carry less weight for them. They tend to focus more on practical concerns like jobs, housing and pension reform," he said.

While more men in their 20s and 30s appear to be leaning toward the far right, Rhee emphasized that they do not represent the majority.

"Most young men are still undecided, although many seem to be leaning toward Reform Party’s Lee Jun-seok," he said.

In a bid to win over younger constituents, candidates have unveiled policy pledges tailored to that demographic.

The DPK’s Lee has promised to launch a savings program specifically for young people, expand funds for job-seeking support and increase the supply of public housing to ease the housing burden. The PPP's candidate has pledged to reinstate the military service bonus point system and expand affordable rental zones near universities.

Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party has proposed a major overhaul of the national pension system, suggesting it be divided into two separate accounts with one for current subscribers and another for future generations. He has also reaffirmed his support for abolishing the gender ministry, a stance aimed at appealing to his core base of young male voters.