[Presidential Candidate] ④ Lee Jun-seok "Seriously Considering Presidential Run"... Yoon Impeachment Trial Timing a Variable

Possible April presidential run if Yoon impeached in February next year
Will young conservatives disappointed with People Power Party move?

Lee Jun-seok, a member of the Reform New Party, hinted at the possibility of running for president. The variable in Lee's presidential bid is none other than his 'age.' He cannot run for president because he is not yet 40 years old, but depending on when the Constitutional Court's impeachment ruling on President Yoon Seok-yeol is announced, Lee's fate could change.

Lee Jun-seok, a member of the Reform New Party, raises both hands toward the People Power Party members during the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 2nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

On the 14th, after the impeachment motion against President Yoon was passed in the National Assembly, Lee appeared on JTBC Newsroom and, when asked if he planned to run for president, said, "I am seriously considering it." He added, "From the party's perspective, the Reform New Party must naturally have a vision in the presidential election and compete with other parties for the party to develop."

If the impeachment ruling is announced before the end of January next year, Lee cannot run for president, but if it comes out in February, he can participate. Lee was born on March 31, 1985, and is currently 39 years old. According to the Constitution, a member of the National Assembly has the right to be elected, and a candidate must be at least 40 years old on the election day to run for president. Also, if death, resignation, or invalidation of election occurs, a presidential election must be held within 60 days from the date the reason for the election is confirmed. For these reasons, if the impeachment ruling is announced after February next year, Lee can run in the presidential election after April.

High recognition and a history of election victories are Lee's strengths. He ran for Gyeonggi Hwaseong-si in the 22nd general election and won. Early in the election, he was trailing behind Democratic Party candidate Gong Young-woon, and with People Power Party candidate Han Jeong-min also running, conservative votes were split. However, Lee succeeded in a last-minute full-scale campaign comeback and entered the National Assembly. As party leader, he also led the People Power Party to elect President Yoon, who was the 20th presidential candidate.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Jun-seok, member of the Reform New Party, greet each other as they cross paths while voting on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol at the National Assembly plenary session on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

However, the Reform New Party's support base is thinner compared to the People Power Party and the Democratic Party, which is considered a weakness. The Reform New Party is known to have about 75,000 party members, compared to approximately 4.5 million in the People Power Party and about 5.1 million in the Democratic Party. Recently, there has been an interpretation that young conservatives disappointed with the People Power Party during President Yoon's impeachment process are defecting to the Reform New Party, drawing attention to the expansion of Lee and the Reform New Party's influence.

Although Lee has hinted at running for president, there is no official preparation at the party level yet. Once the timing of President Yoon's impeachment ruling and Lee's official declaration of candidacy are made, full party support is expected. A Reform New Party official said, "If the impeachment is decided quickly, Lee might not be able to run (for president). Nevertheless, we were the strongest voices calling for impeachment as soon as possible. In that sense, rather than weighing pros and cons, we are doing what needs to be done for Korean politics, and if given the opportunity, we intend to try."