[Politics That Day] 6 Years Ago, Lee Jun-seok Said, "I Calmly Want to Try Candidate Number 4 Once"

Leaving Saenuri Party, Sharing Feelings on SNS
'Youngest Member of Bareun Party' Posts Long Message Amid Party Turmoil
Another Political Experiment Ahead of 22nd General Election

Editor's Note‘On That Day in Politics’ is a series that looks back on Korean politics through the ‘recollection of memories’ related to notable scenes, events, or figures that deserve attention.

“Our original name that we had forgotten: the Reform Conservative New Party. If there were parts where we couldn’t speak our minds or reach the public sentiment due to being suppressed by hegemony, now we can expect to be free from that. I believe this expectation was the reason we decided to leave the party.”

Politician Lee Jun-seok posted this message on social networking service (SNS) on May 1, 2017. It was about his feelings related to leaving the Saenuri Party and founding a new party called the Bareun Party. May 1, 2017, was a period just before the presidential election.

At that time, the Bareun Party nominated politician Yoo Seung-min as its presidential candidate, but within the party, there were lawmakers advocating for unification with Hong Joon-pyo, the candidate from the Liberty Korea Party. The Bareun Party was thrown into confusion just before the presidential election.

Former People Power Party Leader Lee Jun-seok. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Politician Lee Jun-seok, known as the ‘youngest member of the Bareun Party,’ posted a lengthy message on SNS.

“I calmly want to try running as candidate number 4 in next year’s by-election. Whether I win or lose, I want to move forward without regrets. I want to do politics rightly, not shake my values just to do politics unconditionally.”

Politician Lee Jun-seok entered politics in 2011 through his connection with former President Park Geun-hye. He gained attention on the central political stage when he was appointed as an emergency committee member of the then-ruling Saenuri Party. He left the Saenuri Party and joined the new party called the Bareun Party.

His statement in May 2017 about wanting to try ‘candidate number 4’ meant that even as a member of a small party, not the ruling party or the main opposition, he wanted to pursue the kind of politics he dreamed of.

Politician Lee Jun-seok recalled memories of Bareun Party lawmakers one by one and suggested returning to their original intentions.

“I hope we can reaffirm the values of reform conservatism we pursued and reignite the hearts of reform conservative citizens once again. If we can reunite tomorrow with the original intention of establishing reform conservatism, it will be moving, a turnaround, and hope. But if we betray our own values due to the temptations of the schemers, it will be disappointment, frustration, and ultimately the end of the reformist conservatism we dreamed of.”

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, and Yoo Ui-dong, chairman of the Policy Committee, are talking at the party members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 6th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Contrary to Politician Lee Jun-seok’s hopes, the Bareun Party showed signs of division just before the presidential election. On May 2, 2017, the day after Lee Jun-seok posted on SNS, 13 Bareun Party lawmakers held a joint press conference announcing their collective resignation and support for Hong Joon-pyo, the Liberty Korea Party candidate.

Among the lawmakers who left the Bareun Party and chose to return to the Liberty Korea Party were Kwon Seong-dong, Jang Je-won, and Kim Seong-tae. These are figures currently active in the People Power Party.

The reason for paying attention to Politician Lee Jun-seok’s SNS post from six years ago is that there are ongoing speculations that he is preparing to leave the People Power Party and establish a new party. If he actually chooses to found a new party following his resignation, it would be another political experiment.

The experiment of the new Reform Conservative New Party called the Bareun Party, which included politicians like Kwon Seong-dong and Jang Je-won, ended without blossoming. Politician Lee Jun-seok is exploring a new path. Ahead of elections, especially the general election, many new parties have emerged, but few have succeeded.

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on October 19. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Leaving the embrace of the ruling party to found a new opposition party is likened to throwing oneself into a cold and hungry wilderness. It is difficult to avoid conflicts with the party one belonged to, and one may face criticism from various opposing forces.

Will Politician Lee Jun-seok carry out the political experiment once again to realize the dream he shared on SNS six years ago? One clear fact is that the movements related to founding a new party are unusual. If, as political circles speculate, a new party is founded and it influences the election landscape in Daegu and other Yeongnam regions, it will be difficult to avoid clashes with the People Power Party.

On the 9th, Politician Lee Jun-seok shared a news article on SNS about People Power Party leader Kim Ki-hyun’s moves to check Lee’s new party and left this message.

“Before big or small matters, aren’t all the cuckoo’s eggs gathered here? The reality of the People Power Party, which was infiltrated, is that they tried to kill the faction that speaks rightly within the party supported by hundreds of thousands of responsible party members by trying to bring in a party with only 61 paying members. The infiltrated eggs will instinctively continue to push out the figures inside the nest.”