'Catch the Edae Women' Yoon Recruits Shin Ji-ye (Comprehensive)

Lowest Approval Rating Among Women in Their 20s
Kim Han-gil Joins New Era Preparation Committee
Dedicated to Addressing Violence Against Women and Climate Crisis

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, attended the welcoming ceremony for newly recruited personnel held on the 20th at the Chairman's Office of the New Era Preparation Committee at the Central Party Office in Yeouido, Seoul. He is taking a commemorative photo with Chairman Kim Han-gil and Shin Ji-ye, the representative of the Korean Women's Political Network, who is one of the newly recruited personnel. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The New Era Preparation Committee, a direct organization under Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, recruited Shin Ji-ye, the representative of the Korean Women's Political Network, on the 20th.

Appointed as the senior vice chairman, Representative Shin is a feminist politician who has advocated for women's and environmental policies from the third political zone. She ran for Seoul mayor as a Green Party candidate in the 2018 local elections and later ran as an independent in the Seoul mayoral by-election held in April. Born in 1990, she is 31 years old. Both the decision of a progressive figure to join the People Power Party's presidential campaign organization and the party's decision to recruit her are unprecedented.

On the same day, candidate Yoon and Kim Han-gil, chairman of the New Era Preparation Committee, held a welcoming ceremony for talent recruitment to officially announce Representative Shin's joining. Candidate Yoon said, "I think we need to broaden the support base of the people and expand our philosophy and camp," adding, "Because it is essential to have broad understanding and insight to realize regime change and build a proper liberal democratic country, I deeply appreciate Representative Shin's difficult decision."

Representative Shin is expected to be in charge of issues such as violence against women and the climate crisis within the New Era Preparation Committee. At the welcoming ceremony, she said, "I had many concerns. I decided to join because you promised to solve violence against women, respond to the climate crisis, and create a Korea that moves forward beyond left and right." On the same day, she posted on her Facebook, "The current administration and the Democratic Party have stolen the future of our youth through real estate policies, deprived our youth of the minimum right to live through the 'Daddy Chance' scandal involving Cho Kuk, and trampled on the lives of young women through sexual exploitation cases involving Park Won-soon, Ahn Hee-jung, and Oh Keo-don. The parade of double standards seems endless," explaining her reason for joining the People Power Party.

Representative Shin's joining is likely to have an immediate impact on candidate Yoon's low approval ratings among men and women in their 20s. The approval rating of women aged 18-29 for candidate Yoon is around 30%, the lowest among all female age groups. In contrast, the approval rating among men of the same age is generally over 40%. The recruitment of Representative Shin appears to be a measure aimed at expanding support among 'Edae-nyeo' (female college students). Candidate Yoon also said, "When I talk with Representative Shin, there is little difference except that she is a member of the People Power Party."