[Book-Loving Lawmaker] Kwanghee Lee: "Youth Unemployment and Retirement Age Extension Are Not Contradictory Concepts"

A Politician Who Reads 70 to 80 Books a Year
Envisioning Policies on Pensions, Youth Unemployment, and Local Autonomy
"It's Not a Lack of Time That Keeps Us from Reading"

Editor's NoteThe bookshelves of National Assembly members are filled with a wealth of information. They reveal what issues lawmakers are contemplating, what policies they are preparing, and where their interests lie. Legislation on major issues is built upon the accumulation of such information. Through books, we shed light on the lives of lawmakers and explore their political philosophies.

Kwanghee Lee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving an interview to Asia Economy at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 9th. 2025.7.9 Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Kwanghee Lee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Seowon District in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, is a politician who reads the world through books. From pension issues to youth employment and the suffering of minorities, he finds policy clues in books. He said, "What I love is that (through books) I can approach issues I never thought about before."

In an interview with Asia Economy at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on July 9, Lee introduced the book he is currently reading: "Why Are Good Jobs Always Scarce?" by Sangheon Lee, Director of Employment Policy at the International Labour Organization (ILO). Regarding the current employment situation, he stated, "Since Korea's liberation, this is the first time in three consecutive years that jobs for people in their twenties have been in the negative," diagnosing that "there are fundamental problems with our social institutions and systems."

On the reality that small and medium-sized enterprises are struggling to hire while young people complain about a lack of jobs, he explained, "People running small and medium-sized businesses think there are plenty of jobs, but our young people just don't want to work. Meanwhile, young people think there are no jobs available for them." He said this led him to contemplate, "How can we narrow this gap through policy?"

Kwanghee Lee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is posing ahead of an interview with Asia Economy at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 9th. 2025.7.9 Photo by Hyunmin Kim

By reading books, Lee also gained a new perspective on the controversies surrounding youth unemployment and extending the retirement age. He analyzed, "Ultimately, it's not that there aren't enough jobs, but that there aren't enough good jobs. The real question is whether jobs exist that meet young people's desired salary levels, working hours, and company culture." Regarding extending the retirement age, he said, "I believe we need to increase the retirement age," but also emphasized, "We are now in an era where we must learn from the younger generation. The very nature of jobs has changed." He pointed out that the types of jobs people can and want to do have changed across generations.

His interest in pension issues also began with a book. After reading "There Is No National Pension for the People" gifted by lawmaker Soyoung Lee, he said, "Mainly only workplace subscribers receive pensions, and that proportion is about 40%," arguing that "pension reform should greatly expand the scope of pensions for these people."

He also cited "Studying to Respond to the Suffering of Others" by Seungseop Kim as a book that left a strong impression on him recently. Lee evaluated, "It's a book that scientifically analyzes the various challenges minorities must endure to live in this society," adding, "It was helpful in making policy."

Regarding the second anniversary of the Osong disaster, he emphasized the need for a thorough investigation. He pointed out, "People say there was an investigation and some public officials were disciplined, but from the perspective of uncovering the truth, it was a shoddy investigation. Those who should have been held accountable were not, and only low-ranking officials?just unlucky enough to be in charge at the time?were punished." He was particularly critical, saying, "Even looking at the investigation records, both the governor and the mayor should have been subject to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, but the governor got away. The standard of fairness was incorrectly applied."

Kwanghee Lee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is posing ahead of an interview with Asia Economy at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on July 9, 2025. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

As a former member of the provincial council, Lee is currently envisioning fundamental reform of the local autonomy system. He said, "I am very interested in whether the current local autonomy system can change," arguing, "For the past 30 years, local autonomy has focused on heads of local governments, but we need to shift to grassroots democracy at the township, town, and neighborhood level." Specifically, he suggested "a system where only local council members are elected and they select the head of the local government," as well as "a plan where basic council members also serve as neighborhood chiefs."

A voracious reader, Lee reads 70 to 80 books a year. At one point, he read as many as 150 books annually. He said, "Most people don't actually lack time. They have time to look at their phones," adding, "How you use your spare moments determines whether you can solve the time problem."

Regarding his secret to reading so many books, he explained, "I read several different types and several books at once. For example, I read this book at my desk and that book on the sofa, depending on where I'm sitting."