단상斷想

While watching the 21st presidential election debate, I became curious about Lee Jun-seok's mental world, and Lee Jun-seok's remarks showed the height of arrogance and self-aggrandizement, going beyond rudeness to the other party. Of course, Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the New Reform Party, can be seen as a symbol of 'young politician', 'rapid growth', and 'generational change' in Korean politics, but is he really a politician? Or is he aware of himself as a leader of Ilbe? Or perhaps a leader of Femco? However, if we coldly evaluate his political actions and role at this point in time ahead of the June 3, 2025 presidential election, the limitations of not bringing about substantial changes beyond the symbolism of generational change and populist rhetoric are clearly revealed. I want to ask if I am the only one who sees him as an immature, self-satisfied child.

Lee Jun-seok entered politics in 2011 when he was scouted as an emergency committee member of the Grand National Party. He initially rose to prominence as a 'Park Geun-hye kid,' but after Park Geun-hye's impeachment, he wandered through various political parties such as the Bareun Party, the Bareunmirae Party, and the New Conservative Party, failing to establish a clear political identity. In 2021, he became a symbol of generational politics with his election as the youngest leader of the People Power Party, but he was eventually pushed out of the party due to internal conflicts, disciplinary action by the Ethics Committee, and the transition to an emergency committee, and once again chose the path of creating a new party. These repeated political wanderings can be seen as opportunistic behavior focused on political survival and securing a foothold, rather than actions based on firm beliefs and vision. In Korean politics, his line of advocating 'centrism' without a clear ideological orientation is, in reality, closer to 'political colorlessness and odorlessness,' taking advantageous positions depending on the situation without holding any clear political values. Looking at his past party movements, it becomes clear that his decisions are focused on his own political survival and expansion of power rather than fundamental changes in the country and society.

Lee Jun-seok's policy line is strongly neoliberal, including the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the transfer of the minimum wage to local governments, and the granting of corporate tax autonomy to local governments. This approach is criticized for not meeting the demands of the times for protecting the socially vulnerable and strengthening universal welfare. In particular, the transfer of the minimum wage to local governments is likely to deepen wage disparities between regions and weaken labor rights, and corporate tax autonomy is also likely to deepen inequality between regions. A more serious problem is that his policies are piecemeal and fragmented. There is no comprehensive vision and solution for the challenges of the times, such as the climate crisis, digital transformation, and polarization. Looking at Lee Jun-seok's main policies, there is a lack of specific and systematic approaches to the most important problems facing Korean society (dual labor market structure, housing inequality, low birth rate and aging population, chaebol reform, etc.). Instead, he is focused on stimulating the dissatisfaction of certain classes with provocative rhetoric such as 'tax bomb' and 'deregulation'. This is a typical populist approach that focuses on political mobilization and securing support rather than solving structural problems.

In recent polls, Lee Jun-seok's disapproval rating reaches 67%, and his presidential approval rating remains at 7-10%. This shows that he is not gaining broad support from either the progressive or conservative camps. In particular, his repeated drawing of lines against unification with People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo suggests that he is in an isolated position where even political engineering alliances are difficult. What is noteworthy is Lee Jun-seok's dualistic rhetoric strategy. He criticizes the established political circles and shouts for 'breaking vested interests' and 'generational change,' but at the same time, he has been at the center of power since the beginning of his entry into politics. His claim that 'votes were collected with difficulty from supporters who agree with his policy line' ironically acknowledges the limitation that his political orientation only appeals to a small number of supporters. This attitude shows the characteristics of a typical outsider populism that attempts to build his political base by utilizing voters' 'anti-establishment politics' sentiment.

Lee Jun-seok has been repeatedly embroiled in major and minor controversies, including military service exemptions, profanity controversies, and allegations of sexual bribery. In particular, the allegations of manipulating unpublished poll results during the 2021 People Power Party leadership election and the disciplinary action for destruction of evidence received from the Ethics Committee in 2022 have seriously damaged his political credibility. These controversies go beyond simple personal mistakes and reveal fundamental problems in his overall political 행보. In that he is repeating the evils of 'old-fashioned politics' (opaque decision-making, avoidance of responsibility, and camp logic) that he criticized, Lee Jun-seok is ultimately no different from another version of the established politics he criticized. This raises fundamental questions about whether he has the moral qualifications to represent the entire nation.

Lee Jun-seok emphasizes 'youth' and 'innovation,' but in reality, he has shown a tendency to focus more on maintaining his political standing and influence. During his time as the leader of the People Power Party, he maximized internal conflicts to highlight his presence, and after being pushed out of the party, he sought a new breakthrough by creating a new party. Of particular note is his media politics strategy. Lee Jun-seok has actively utilized new media such as YouTube and SNS to show himself communicating directly with the younger generation. However, this communication is mainly focused on criticizing the established political circles and 'anti-vested rights' rhetoric, and concrete alternatives to solve the structural problems of Korean society are lacking. The strategy of stimulating political helplessness and distrust of the system among those in their 20s and 30s may have political mobilization effects, but it is far from the essential role of politics, which is social integration and practical reform. These actions show a discrepancy between his political message and actual behavior, making it difficult to avoid criticism that he places more weight on his political survival than on the interests of the entire nation.

Lee Jun-seok is meaningful in that he brought a young wind to Korean politics and became a symbol of generational change. However, repeated political wanderings, policy visions without substance, low scalability, and credibility issues raise serious questions about his qualifications as a leader to bring about real change in Korean politics. Lee Jun-seok's political 행보 fully demonstrates the typical characteristics of populism (criticism of the established elite, anti-intellectual rhetoric, a way of directly appealing to 'public opinion', and presenting simple solutions to complex social problems). This signifies the emergence of a new form of 'young populism' in Korean politics, and Lee Jun-seok's limitations reflect the crisis of Korean politics as a whole.

True political innovation comes not from a simple generational shift or rhetorical message, but from a concrete vision and practice that can improve the lives of the majority of the people, and from broad support and trust. In order for Lee Jun-seok to move beyond the symbolism of 'youth' and establish himself as a true political alternative, he will need to face his limitations and present a more inclusive and practical political vision. Lee Jun-seok currently has significance as a political experiment, but fundamental change and reflection are needed for him to grow into a politician who receives the support and trust of the majority of the people. Whether he can become a 'better' politician, not just a 'different' politician, depends on his future actions and the judgment of the people, but it is almost impossible.

Ultimately, the doubt as to whether Lee Jun-seok is a politician who thinks about the people even by 1% stems from the gap between his political message and actual actions, repeated controversies over credibility, and low approval ratings from the majority of the people. Politicians must represent the entire nation and adhere to the principles of truth and responsibility. However, Lee Jun-seok has repeatedly shown a focus on his own political standing and survival, which leaves a fundamental question as to whether he is truly a politician for the people. What Korean society needs is not just a young politician, but a true politician who can bring about practical and concrete change.