[Yes and No] Lee Jun-seok and the Lee Jun-seoks

Some drank Makgeolli while others ate gukbap. Some pretended to be familiar with buses or subways but failed because they didn’t know the fare. When politicians cosplay as commoners or act as if they have an open mind toward youth culture during certain periods, it is likely because they are not truly commoners or are old-fashioned.

In that regard, Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, who is clearly a physical youth and considered sufficiently different from existing politicians, had no need to ride a Dareungi bike for his five-minute walk to work. Born in 1985 and a first-term politician, his rise to leader of the main opposition party is undoubtedly a groundbreaking event that shakes up Yeouido politics. However, the front pages of the morning newspapers on the 14th, plastered with photos of his first commute, evoke both hope and concern. The image of the opposition leader commuting by bicycle with a backpack is striking, yet ironically, it follows the thoroughly Yeouido-style political script.

Our enthusiasm for the Lee Jun-seok phenomenon is less about welcoming a fresh politician and more about signaling the entry of his generation into the central political stage. The generation he must overcome is the so-called “Cho Kuk generation.” This generation, which seemed unshakable and with zero chance of voluntary retirement, appears bewildered by this sudden change, much like an employee unexpectedly notified of a wage peak system.

Therefore, Lee Jun-seok should be read as a common noun, like the 1982-born Kim Ji-young. Regardless of whether this is the right direction, it is significant that the wave of reform and change started within the conservative party. The pressure felt by the progressive party, which had almost monopolized the titles of destruction and innovation, will likely be twice as great as the crisis the conservative party would feel in the opposite scenario. Now, the progressive party must discover another 1985-born Lee Jun-seok for survival. Young politicians, who are scattered throughout society but still have limited influence, have a greater chance than ever to be incorporated into the establishment. This is the core of the “1985-born Lee Jun-seok whirlwind.” It is not the power of multiple terms but the arrival of an era where ability wins. Lee Jun-seok seems to be telling the generation wavering between their vested interests and social reform to prepare for retirement.

Politician Lee Jun-seok will also undergo a harsh period of scrutiny. It is unlikely that the conclusion will be that he was merely young but incompetent. However, we will judge his success based on whether the values he upholds can guarantee a progressive future. As many already worry, when politician Lee Jun-seok’s competition- and ability-centered ideology and politics fueled by hatred materialize through the main opposition party, the future we witness remains uncertain. He emphasizes opportunity and effort, but Cho Kuk also thought about fairness of opportunity when insisting on “legality,” and Jung Yoo-ra, who said “money is also ability,” questioned whether accidentally acquired ability or effort could be the starting point of fairness. Politician Lee Jun-seok must now more concretely prove how his concept of fairness can overcome such subtle issues.

Having entered politics in 2011 as a Park Geun-hye kid, he must seriously accept that in 2021 he has been reborn as a guide for the Lee Jun-seok kids stirring throughout society. The evolution and development of the 1985-born Lee Jun-seok hold significance for our politics and future that far exceeds the political gains the individual Lee Jun-seok might achieve through his fresh commuting scene.

Shin Beom-su, Chief of Political Affairs

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