Who Exactly Are the 'Old-Fashioned Progressive University Students'? Jang Ye-chan vs. Lee Gi-in Debate

[Photo by Candidate Lee Gi-in Facebook]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Lee Gi-in, a candidate for the Youth Supreme Council member and one of the 'Lee Jun-seok faction,' criticized Jang Ye-chan, a candidate for the Youth Supreme Council member, who described the election campaign of the 'Lee Jun-seok faction' as having a "feeling like old-fashioned progressive university students," saying, "The current behavior shown by candidate Jang is precisely the behavior of old-fashioned progressive university students."

On the 21st, through social media (SNS), candidate Lee said, "Candidate Jang, who declared that there would be no negativity, has now started full-scale negativity. He said that talking about local issues at the party convention was 'not fresh, like pledges that local city council members would say.' Then he even mentioned old-fashioned progressive university students," targeting candidate Jang.

Earlier, candidate Jang shared an interview with a media outlet on his SNS. In this interview, candidate Jang pointed out that the recent campaign by the four members of the Lee Jun-seok faction (Cheon Ha-ram, Heo Eun-ah, Kim Yong-tae, and Lee Gi-in), who danced in front of Dongseong-ro in Daegu, and the mention of local pledges by local city council members gave a "feeling like old-fashioned progressive university students."

In response, candidate Lee, representing the Lee Jun-seok faction, criticized candidate Jang. He said, "The narrow-minded perception that issues such as expensive delivery fees in Jeju Island, awareness of nuclear power plants and the possibility of attracting industries, and transportation problems in Honam are limited to local council members is problematic, but the biggest problem is the authoritative attitude that looks down on local council members."

He added, "Above all, it is most regrettable that he broke his own promise not to engage in negativity," and pointed out, "If he remembers his past statement, 'I want to tear the mouths of people who say two things with one mouth,' I wonder if he can tear his own mouth now as he fiercely criticizes other candidates."

Candidate Lee also mentioned that candidate Jang expressed support for Sim Sang-jung on his SNS in 2012, saying, "Does he still support Sim Sang-jung? The current behavior shown by candidate Jang is precisely the behavior of old-fashioned progressive university students."