Lee Jun-seok, who chose the path of "Heukhwa," reveals the limitations of youth politics

Where did it all go wrong? Lee Joon-Seok, former leader of the People's Power Party, who is the representative of "youth politics," had "Heukhwa." "Heukhwa" means reckless rebellion or endless corruption. If someone says, "I'll Heukhwa," I'll become vicious, but specifically, it includes the meaning of "I won't hesitate to do anything shameful like an immature person"

Former party leader Lee Joon-Seok held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Center on Aug. 13. It was a backlash against the loss of party leadership due to the change of the party's emergency committee system. Former party leader Lee criticized President Yoon Seok-Yeol and Yoon Hack-gwan head-on. At the press conference, former representative Lee said to the so-called "Yoon Hack-gwan" (a key official on President Yoon's side), "I hope at least their shame will be with the exposed dirty secret of the party."

Former party leader Lee Joon-seok's "the dirty secret of the party exposed this time" seems to mean a telegram text that Kwon Sung-dong, the floor leader, exchanged with President Yoon Seok-yeol. President Yoon unintentionally revealed his negative thoughts about former party leader Lee Joon-seok to the entire nation, saying, "The party has changed since the party leader who gun down has been replaced." President Yoon's intention, which is not usually revealed in public, has become known in a unique way.

Former party leader Lee Joon-Seok has criticized the media by saying that he is good at seducing public opinion. It has been pointed out that former representative Lee may be trying to avoid the crisis by establishing a victim frame through a conflict with former President Yoon. During the last presidential election, former party leader Lee strongly criticized President Yoon and Yoon haek gwan and said, "I have repeatedly heard the expression that they call me 'that punk'." In addition, at the press conference, he brought up the expression "Yang du gu yuk,(羊頭狗肉)" again and criticized President Yoon as a person who is different from the outside.

Former party leader Lee Joon-seok has been suspended for six months by the ethics committee for alleged sexual favors. Former party leader Lee's close aide wrote a memorandum of investment of 700 million won to accusers of sexual favors, which was first revealed through the YouTube channel "Garosero Research Institute." Lawyer Kang Yong-Seok, a former manager of the Garosero Research Institute, filed a complaint with the party's ethics committee regarding former CEO Lee Joon-seok's alleged sexual favors, prompting the People's Power Party to begin formal disciplinary proceedings.

Nevertheless, there was no mention of sexual intercourse at the last press conference. There was no explanation even though the suspension of his party membership was the trigger of his alleged sexual misconduct and the prevailing opinion was that he needed an explanation for the sexual misconduct ahead of the press conference. This is why some observers say that it may be an attempt to turn the sexual interference case into a political suppression case by creating a confrontation with Yun's nuclear officials while keeping quiet about the sexual interference case.

The reaction of fellow politicians to former party leader Lee Joon-seok's "Huek-Hwa" is rather harsh than cold. Former lawmaker Na Kyung-won said, "If a close aide wrote a 700 million won investment memorandum on his sexual misconduct, doesn't everyone know the truth?" adding, "It is right to reflect on oneself and step down for a while before questioning whether there is a criminal or not?" It is disgraceful."

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon Pyo, who has been relatively friendly to former party leader Lee Joon-seok, also said to former party leader Lee Joon-seok, "I ran hard to make this XX player a president," adding, "I hope you think about why he was cursed like that."

Rep. Lee Chul-kyu, who was nominated as a "Yoon nuclear official" at a press conference, did not hesitate to criticize Lee. He told Yonhap News Agency, "I've been lying again and again today, and I've only lied to others." You have to say something like a horse to evaluate. The premise should be proper, not lying. People around him criticize Lee, saying, "Whenever I open my mouth, I lie, deceive, and manipulate."

The reason why former party leader Lee Joon-Seok has not been able to elicit sympathy from fellow politicians is not only because of allegations of sexual misconduct. When Lee was a member of the Bareunmirae Party, he was disciplined by the Bareunmirae Party's ethics committee for saying, "Byungshin(Asshole)," "Two people died because of Ahn Cheol Soo," and "How much did Ahn Cheol Soo help until he became a presidential candidate?"

Some point out that Lee, who took the lead in resigning then Bareunmirae Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu in the same year, is showing the veteran politician he criticized as he applied for an injunction to protect his position. Some say it is "Lee Joon-Seok's karma" that entered politics in his 20s, a relatively young age, and created unnecessarily many enemies during the 10-year political process.

It is true that some people in their 20s and 30s support former party leader Lee Joon-Seok, but there is public opinion in their 20s and 30s that does not support former party leader Lee. In particular, there are many criticisms of former party leader Lee Joon-Seok in the conservative 2030 generation. Shortly after former party leader Lee Joon-Seok's disciplinary action, a rally to support Lee Joon-Seok was held in front of the People's Power Party on July 17, but only about 10 participants participated. Suspicions have been raised that his popularity and support, which former party leader Lee Joon-Seok claims, may be different.

It is true that vague expectations and opportunities for young politicians have been given. Many politicians in their 20s and 30s got elected as congressmen on a proportional representation system in the election because they can win votes in their 20s and 30s. However, high expectations for young politicians do not mean that they are given a justification to "blacken." It is not all the more that the so-called "Yuido youth" who play their own politics are given the privilege to use the purity of a number of 2030 generations in the political arena.

Youth politics is nothing special to Koreans. Former President Kim Young-sam ran for the third parliamentary election at the age of 26. Former President Kim Dae Jung also entered politics in his early 30s as a young businessman who ran newspapers and shipping companies. There are many senior members of the Democratic Party who entered politics when they were college students and are now old-fashioned.

The people's longing for youth politics is due to a sense of spiritual vitality rather than biological age. It means a lot of fresh politics that is different from established politics. The youth politics that the people want is such a young politics with an innovative spirit of challenge and leadership of integration with weight. This is not seen in former party leader Lee Joon-Seok. The appearance of a "politician," who is not much different from existing politicians, shows that the validity of the title of the "young politician" that remained for him is over.

2022. 8. 14

Alfred J Kim, CEO of BEXUS Group

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