Yoo Seung-min: "Lee Jun-seok = Yoo Seung-min faction? Don't insult comrades who shared the same cause"

Presidential Candidate Relay Interview ② Former National Assembly Member Yoo Seung-min
"I'm not the one giving nominations,
nor is this an organization driven by money,
so how can anyone call it a faction of a specific person?"

Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min. / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Lee Hyun-joo] Former Supreme Council member Lee Jun-seok has caused a 'storm,' making the People Power Party's leadership election a huge hit, but former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min was restless as if he were a criminal. This is because competing candidates labeled former Supreme Council member Lee as part of the 'Yoo Seung-min faction,' raising doubts about fair presidential election management. Former lawmaker Yoo rebutted the series of attacks calling him 'Yoo Seung-min faction' by saying, "Do not insult comrades."

In an interview with Asia Economy held on the 7th at the presidential campaign office 'Hope 22' set up in Yeouido, Seoul, he recalled, "When I left the party in 2016, I created the Bareun Party with the spirit that 'old conservatism really won't do.' Although it ultimately did not succeed, I strongly thought it should become a party loved especially by young people." Former lawmaker Yoo added, "At that time, former Supreme Council member Lee also shared this spirit, and I still believe that spark is alive within the People Power Party. Calling this a faction insults those who shared the same will as me." He argued, "I am not the one giving nominations, nor is this an organization that moves with money like in the past, so how can you put a specific person's name and call it a faction?"

Lee Jun-seok's meritocracy differs from my thoughts
We can discuss freely but I do not force it
We need to consider a fair starting line

Some try to group former lawmaker Yoo and former Supreme Council member Lee as a faction, but there are also differences in values between the two. He said, "Lee's meritocracy does not align with my thoughts," but added, "We can freely discuss this, but I have no intention of forcing it." He said, "Many things cannot be explained by meritocracy alone. Background conditions, family environment, appearance?all relate to the issue of a fair starting line."

Regarding the female quota system opposed by former Supreme Council member Lee, he said, "Although women seem to have advantages in areas like startup support, there are many cases where women are disadvantaged due to limits on female personnel, such as in the Army Academy or Navy Academy," adding, "If we put all these issues on the table and fiercely debate what is truly fair, we can find solutions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.