Young opposition politician emerges as strong party chief candidate

By Bahk Eun-ji

Lee Jun-seok, a young politician of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), is emerging as one of the strongest candidates to take on the leadership of the conservative party, which plans to select its new head next month, a poll showed Wednesday.

According to the survey of 1,010 adults nationwide conducted by Hangil Research from Saturday to Tuesday, 15.9 percent of the respondents said former four-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won would be the best fit for the PPP chief position among party members who have announced their bids for the position.

Lee ranked second with 13.1 percent of support, beating more experienced politicians including former floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young with 7.5 percent, and Rep. Kim Woong with 6.1 percent.

Lee Jun-seok / Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun

The results were similar among supporters of the PPP, with Na coming in first and Lee in second, although the support rate gap was wider at 27.3 percent for Na and 15.2 percent for Lee.

Lee said he would seek the party leadership to help the PPP come up with policies that appeal to young voters in their 20s and 30s who chose the opposition party in the April 7 Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections over the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea.

He entered politics in 2011 when former President Park Geun-hye, who was head of the Saenuri Party, a predecessor of the PPP, invited him to the party in an effort to listen to young people's opinions.

Although Lee has a decade of political experience as the representative “young conservative,” many senior party members say he is still inexperienced.

In a radio interview, Rep. Joo said, “You can't climb Mount Everest with only experience in climbing small hills in your neighborhood,” referring to Lee's lack of political experience.

In response, Lee said in another radio show, “I don't think my political experience is insufficient. I also believe I have an experienced eye as a politician, as I believed Oh Se-hoon would become Seoul mayor when everyone else was skeptical.”

He added, “What Rep. Joo said could hurt young politicians who haven't had a good chance yet.”