'Age 39' Lee Jun-seok "If an early presidential election is held, I will seriously consider running"

"Reform Party Must Develop with Presidential Election Vision"
Constitutional Court Impeachment Judgment Timing Is Crucial

Lee Jun-seok, a member of the Reform New Party representing Hwaseong-si Eul, Gyeonggi Province, expressed his intention to run if President Yoon Seok-yeol’s impeachment is accepted and an early presidential election is held.

On the 14th, after the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against President Yoon, Lee appeared on JTBC Newsroom and responded to the question, “Do you plan to run for president?” by saying, “I am seriously considering it,” and added, “From a party perspective, the Reform New Party must naturally compete with other parties in the presidential election with a vision for the future, as I believe that is how a party can develop.”

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Jun-seok, member of the Reform New Party, are greeting each other while voting on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol in the National Assembly plenary session. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Lee Jun-seok said, “It seems that the Constitutional Court’s impeachment trial will not take long,” and explained, “If the impeachment result comes out before the end of January, I will not be able to run (in the presidential election), but if the result comes out in February, participation will be possible.” The reason why the decision to run hinges on a one-month difference is due to age. The Constitution stipulates that the qualification to run for president is “having the eligibility to be elected as a member of the National Assembly and being at least 40 years old on the election day.” Currently, Lee was born on March 31, 1985, making him 39 years old. Therefore, if the Constitutional Court’s impeachment trial result is announced before January 31 next year, Lee Jun-seok will not qualify to run for president due to the age restriction; if the result comes out afterward, he will be eligible to run. This is because if the president dies, resigns, or is disqualified from election, a presidential election must be held within 60 days from the date the reason for the election is confirmed.

Lee Jun-seok also expressed his intention to run for president in an interview with BBC Korea released on the 14th. He said, “According to the Korean Constitution, the qualification to run for president is granted from the age of 40. Since I will turn 40 in March next year, I intend to play a role in the presidential election.” He emphasized, “It is not just a simple ambition for the presidency, but I want to advocate for the generation in their 40s to take the forefront of politics, especially to address new technology issues such as artificial intelligence (AI), and create change.”

Regarding Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jun-seok criticized him by pointing out that in the past, to respond to his own judicial risks, Lee Jae-myung mobilized party forces to attempt the impeachment of prosecutors who investigated or indicted him, saying, “The attitude of using any means necessary sometimes means there is no difference from President Yoon Seok-yeol.”

The final verdict on Lee Jae-myung’s violation of the Public Official Election Act is expected to be announced around early to mid-next year. If Lee Jae-myung’s loss of parliamentary seat is confirmed before the presidential election, his candidacy will become impossible.