PROFILE Who is Lee Jun-seok?

The minor conservative Reform Party's presidential candidate Lee Jun-seok, right, is seen in this photo with then-Grand National Party's interim committee chief Park Geun-hye in April 2012. Park called on Lee to enter politics at the age of 26 in 2011, earning him the nickname "Park Geun-hye kid." Lee, however, supported Park's impeachment in 2016. Yonhap

From Harvard graduate to youngest presidential candidate

Lee Jun-seok of the minor conservative Reform Party is only 40 years old, but he benefits from strong public recognition, given his political career spanning more than a decade.

A central focus of his campaign is winning over voters in their 20s and 30s through targeted policy pledges, including major pension system reforms aimed at appealing to younger generations.

He stepped into the political arena in 2011 at the age of 26, when former President Park Geun-hye, then head of the conservative party's interim committee, selected Lee as a member for his outspoken opinions on social media. The selection earned him the nickname "Park Geun-hye kid."

Lee is known for his elite education and upbringing. Born in Seoul in 1985, he attended Seoul Science High School and was accepted into the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), but withdrew and went to Harvard University with a presidential scholarship, obtaining a degree in computer science and economics.

In 2011, he launched an education-technology startup that developed personalized tutoring software, serving as its CEO until he was recruited by the conservative party.

He unsuccessfully contested the 2016 general election in his home district. Following this defeat, Lee departed the main conservative party to found a new one, remaining within the conservative fold before ultimately joining the People Power Party (PPP).

He ran again for the same district in the general election in 2020 but failed to gain a seat in the National Assembly. He is recognized for his role in getting Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon elected in 2020 by managing new media for their by-elections, garnering support from male voters in their 20s and 30s.

He was elected leader of the PPP in 2021 when he was 36, a milestone that marked the first instance in Korea's constitutional history of a major conservative party being led by an individual in their 30s, a position previously held by much older political figures.

Then-People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk Yeol, right, and then-party leader Lee Jun-seok pose during a campaign stop in Busan, Dec. 4, 2021. Newsis

Lee is also considered to have aided former President Yoon Suk Yeol in winning the election in 2022 by helping gain the support of young men through ideas such as abolishing the gender equality ministry. Lee has included this in his presidential campaign election pledges.

His strategy for the 20th presidential election came under scrutiny for its sharp focus on men in their 20s, aiming to win over young male voters disillusioned with the Moon Jae-in administration.

Lee has attracted support from young men amid rising gender-related divisions within this age group.

While his strategy drew attention among younger voters and helped solidify a conservative base among young men, Lee also faced strong criticism for exacerbating gender divisions in society.

He has been labeled as anti-feminist for controversial remarks, including one that stated that claims of discrimination against women are based on "groundless victim mentality." The National Human Rights Commission of Korea in 2022 classified this as hate speech.

Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok, second from right, talks with university students while having lunch on campus at Chonnam National University in South Jeolla Province, Tuesday. Yonhap

Lee split from the PPP in late 2023 and founded the Reform Party in January 2024. He was elected a lawmaker representing a district in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, in April the same year, becoming the only third-party candidate to win a seat for a district where both the PPP and Democratic Party of Korea had candidates.

Now the youngest candidate in the presidential race, having turned 40 in March — the minimum age required to run for president — Lee continues to position himself as the voice of younger voters, vowing to be a leader who genuinely listens to and represents their concerns.

A key strength of his political persona lies in cultivating a consistently fresh and unconventional image, setting him apart from traditional politicians. He eschews typical campaign stops like traditional markets, instead employing alternative strategies such as informal lunch discussions with university students in cafeterias and street campaigns conducted from a handcart.

A hallmark of his campaign strategy in the run-up to the June 3 election has been his series of lunch meetings with university students. The initiative, which began at Yonsei University in Seoul, now sees Lee embarking on a nationwide campus tour, with stops at institutions like Kyungpook National University in Daegu, Pusan National University in Busan, and Chonnam National University in South Jeolla Province.

In a recent television interview, Lee emphasized the importance of listening to the generation that will shape the future, saying he values the opportunity to deliver his pledges directly to young people and receive immediate feedback.

However, questions still remain over Lee’s ability to gain support from women voters, as his approach has been criticized for politicizing gender conflict.