Lee Junseok Sends Handwritten Campaign Leaflets... "A Young President with a Science and Engineering Background Is Needed"

Lee: "Korea Has No Time to Waste... National Redesign"
Announces Pledge to Strengthen Teachers' Rights, Including Legal Representation by the Office of Education

On April 27, Lee Junseok, the presidential candidate of the Reform New Party, sent out 100,000 copies of a handwritten letter-style campaign leaflet, stating, "The country needs a president with a global perspective and a background in science and engineering. I, Lee Junseok, am the right person for the job."

On this day, at his campaign office in Gangnam, Seoul, Lee held an event titled "Changing Politics Through Letters: Preliminary Candidate Leaflet Packaging Event." He emphasized, "The Republic of Korea can no longer afford to waste time," and added, "I will fundamentally redesign the nation with politics based on logic and reason, science, and efficiency."

Referring to leaders who took office in their 30s and 40s, such as French President Emmanuel Macron, former UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron, and former US Presidents Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy, Lee appealed for support by saying, "I will achieve a generational shift in politics. At every turning point of turmoil, young leaders have emerged to change the course of history."

Yonhap News

His key pledges include introducing a state responsibility system for mathematics education, converting 30% of national corporate tax revenue to local tax revenue and allowing local adjustment, granting regions autonomy to increase or decrease the minimum wage by 30%, consolidating 19 ministries into 13, and reducing the burden on future generations by abolishing excessive populist welfare policies.

After the event, Lee told reporters, "Opportunities for candidates to sincerely communicate with voters are actually decreasing during the election process," and added, "I put the most essential messages I want to convey in this letter. I hope that those who receive it will find it helpful in making their decision."

On the same day, Lee also announced a pledge to protect teachers' rights, including having the Office of Education directly represent teachers in lawsuits and strengthening punishment for false accusations against teachers. The pledge to protect teachers' and instructional rights also includes strengthening the detention system to discipline problematic students by isolating them from the classroom, appointing student life support staff at each school, and establishing learning guidance rooms to separate problematic students.