Lee Jun-seok "Leading the Revival of Conservative Politics by Prioritizing Competition and Meritocracy"

People Power Party Leadership Candidate Relay Interview ⑦
Opportunity for Conservative Values to Gain Attention Through Moon Jae-in Government
Party Spokesperson and Strategic Planning Positions Open for Public Recruitment
Will Demonstrate 'Lee Jun-seok Style Leadership' in Presidential Election Phase

Lee Jun-seok, People Power Party. Photo by Dongju Yoon, doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporters Naju-seok and Park Jun-i] "Until now, competition has always been accompanied by the terms ‘excessive competition’ and ‘unnecessary competition.’ However, if we revive the intrinsic value of competition, conservatism can also be restored."

Lee Jun-seok, former Supreme Council member (36), who has announced his intention to run in the People Power Party leadership race, recently emphasized the ‘revival of conservatism’ in an interview with Asia Economy. His stance differs from other candidates who stress that the People Power Party should adopt a centrist and pragmatic approach. Lee said, "The moment one cannot call oneself conservative, one becomes servile," adding, "Just as British conservatism was revived through Thatcherism in the past, conservatism can regain its appeal." He also analyzed that the value of conservatism, which emphasizes competition, is gaining renewed attention after experiencing the Moon Jae-in administration era.

He explained, "Promoting conservatism does not mean overturning all existing policies," but "conservatism is more advantageous when it comes to using resources more efficiently and preventing wasteful spending." Lee stated that he intends to introduce the value of competition starting within the party. He said, "In the past, politics was structured so that talented individuals would come on their own, but now, except for politicians who have managed constituencies, there are no star figures emerging. Without a talent pool, it is impossible to conduct a proper election, so I will open the doors by introducing competition and meritocracy." He added, "The first goal is to hold open competitions for party positions related to spokesperson roles and strategy/planning."

Regarding concerns about whether a leader in their 30s can lead organizational harmony, he responded by emphasizing ‘different leadership.’ He said, "There are leaders like former leader Hong Jun-pyo who speak sharply and strongly, and leaders like former leader Hwang Woo-yeo who emphasize harmony, but leadership demands vary depending on the time," adding, "At this moment, leadership based on ‘good is good’ will make negotiations with former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl impossible." He argued that this is a time when a young leader like himself, who has excellent issue response skills and a clear message, is needed.