Political rookies exploited for benefit of established parties
Then ruling People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok, left, and then interim leader of Democratic Party of Korea Park Ji-hyun, second from left, sing along during the 42nd anniversary ceremony of May 18 Democratic Uprising held in Gwangju, May 18. Korea Times file by Seo Jae-hoonNew book tells of systematic barrier hindering political participation of Korean youthBy Lee Yeon-wooThe last two years saw a golden period for young politicians in Korean politics.Lee Jun-seok, then a 36 year old, was elected the leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) in June last year, becoming the youngest politician to rise to that position. As Lee created a buzz, the rival Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) also named 26-year old activist, Park Ji-hyun, to lead the party as an interim leader. Lee and Park were a breath of fresh air in Korean politics, which is dominated by older politicians. However, things quickly unraveled. Lee was suspended from party affairs for six months following allegations that he was involved in sexual bribery scandals twice in 2013 and later tried to cover it up. Park, meanw
Sep 30, 2022By Lee Yeon-woo