Lee Junseok: "President Lee Signaling Right but Turning Left Is Deception" [So Jongseop's Sogteoview]

"No Collusion with Former President Yoon over Nominations"
"No Alliances or Coalitions with Other Parties in Local Elections"
"Oh Sehun, How Long Will He Remain the Nice Elder? A Decision Is Needed"

The day Asia Economy's current affairs YouTube channel "So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show" visited the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul to interview Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, was the 5th. At 11 a.m., Lee was deeply focused on his computer work in his office. He said he was building a system in preparation for the local elections, personally developing a program to minimize election expenses. His office was unlike those of other lawmakers-it felt more like a practical workspace for a venture entrepreneur, with little decoration. The only items that stood out were a map of his constituency (Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi Province) and a framed calligraphy piece reading "Biryongdeukju" (Flying Dragon Acquires the Pearl) written by former Prime Minister Kim Jongpil. The interview with Lee lasted for an hour.

How have you been these days?

Since the presidential election, I have been continuously programming. With the advent of AI, the number of people is no longer important. What matters now is how well you can utilize AI and how you plan for AI. I believe there will be a similar version of this in politics, so I have been preparing for it. In the last presidential election, while other parties spent 40 to 50 billion won, the Reform New Party spent 2.8 billion won. We set a new milestone. The same applies to the local elections. We need to cut out the expensive and inefficient election structures and change the political culture so that young people can enter politics. The Reform New Party will set the model case.

Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, is being interviewed by Asia Economy's "So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show" on the morning of the 5th.

It seems you have no intention of abandoning the banner of the Reform New Party.

That's right. We can bring about real change. The Democratic Party's spectrum has already become too broad. Countless differences of opinion will be exposed in the future. Recently, disagreements on policy have already emerged. It will result in turning left while signaling right. This will cause the public to have doubts. The Reform New Party also showed its commitment to run the full course during the presidential election. Some pundits question whether the Reform New Party can handle the local elections, but I will show them that is not the case at all.

What is the core of the Reform New Party's local election strategy?

The local elections involve thousands of candidates engaging in grassroots politics in their own regions. Cost is extremely important. We plan to minimize even the costs associated with candidate screening. Applications for nominations can be submitted online, and interviews can be conducted via video calls. There is no need to travel to Seoul or other large cities where the party's metropolitan or provincial offices are located. This is very important. Even those in their 60s or 70s can participate as long as they are comfortable using smartphones, so we plan to lower the entry barrier by making access easy.

We Will Independently Overcome Next Year's Local Elections

Have you set specific goals for the local elections?

Since the medium constituency system applies to basic council members, we should focus on electing many winners in areas near university districts. For metropolitan and basic local government heads, the goal is to field as many candidates as possible. Other parties will likely pursue alliance strategies. The Reform New Party will not do so and will break through independently. We will go our own way.

Are you considering any alliances or coalitions?

Not at all. We will stand on our own. Whether or not there is a chance of success, the only way to change politics is to break through independently.

Representative Lee Junseok said, "I will independently overcome the local elections just like the presidential election."

Have you decided not to form an alliance or coalition with the People Power Party?

For an alliance with the People Power Party to be considered, it would have to be highly efficient. However, it does not seem likely to be efficient. Looking at those aiming to join the leadership of the People Power Party and those expected to play a role there, everyone will be scrambling to run in the TK (Daegu and Gyeongbuk) region. With the party's alignment headed in that direction, there is little room for us to do anything.

The special prosecutor investigating Kim Keonhee conducted searches of your home and the Members' Office Building on the 28th and 30th of last month.

The warrant states that I allegedly colluded with Yoon Sukyeol and Kim Keonhee, but the public will wonder if that even makes sense. Everyone knows how President Yoon Sukyeol tried to expel me. But did Yoon Sukyeol collude with me on nominations during that process? That's not plausible. As the party leader, I had authority over nominations, so they can't investigate me for what I did regarding nominations. It seems they are trying to make me an accomplice by claiming I colluded with Yoon Sukyeol, who had no authority, but that's impossible.

So do you see the searches as simply procedural for the investigation?

Since I was the party leader, they probably thought there might be some important recordings related to President Yoon Sukyeol and others. In fact, I already provided certain materials to the special prosecutor, but perhaps they thought, "Is this all there is?" Not everything that happened internally while I was the People Power Party leader needs to be made public. For matters necessary for the investigation, such as any requests made by President Yoon Sukyeol at specific times, I have said I will fully cooperate.

Was the phone seized by the special prosecutor the one you used as People Power Party leader?

No, I changed my phone last year.

We Need to See Whether the Special Prosecutor's Search Constitutes Political Suppression

It seems you do not view the search itself as "political suppression."

That's why I want to ask the actual person in charge of the special prosecutor's investigation what direction they intend to take with this case.

Representative Lee Junseok strongly denied, saying, "It doesn't make sense that the special prosecutor claims there is collusion with former President Yoon Seokyoul."

Some believe your sharp attacks on candidate Lee Jaemyung during the last presidential debate may have influenced this situation.

If that was the intention, then the Lee Jaemyung administration has started off on the wrong foot.The Lee Myungbak administration lost its momentum after investigating President Roh Moohyun, and the Park Geunhye administration lost much of its momentum after dissolving the Unified Progressive Party and then facing the Sewol ferry disaster. The Moon Jaein administration created extreme confrontation by using prosecutors like Yoon Sukyeol and Han Donghoon for its "eradication of deep-rooted evils" campaign, and President Yoon Sukyeol caused an uproar by trying to imprison President Lee Jaemyung. I will be able to speak more definitively after meeting with the special prosecutor or someone responsible. If that is the case, the Lee Jaemyung administration has made a serious misjudgment.

Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheongrae said that if an arrest motion for you comes, it will be processed immediately.

I don't even know why an arrest motion would be submitted, and it seems everyone is just saying that. I don't understand what grounds they would use.

It has been two months since the Lee Jaemyung administration was inaugurated. How do you evaluate it overall?

During the presidential election, I said they would signal right and then turn left. That is my biggest concern.Former President Roh Moohyun signaled left but turned right after much deliberation. Even when he had the support of the left, he made tough decisions for the future of the country, such as the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement or the Iraq troop deployment. But signaling right and turning left means President Lee Jaemyung, who was originally on the left, was just making empty promises during the campaign.This is deception.

The tariff negotiations with the United States have concluded.

It was left unresolved. We need to wait and see a bit longer. In the end, the stance toward China will become an issue. The US side may push for more during the summit.Originally, they said, "President Lee Jaemyung must visit within two weeks," but now it has been extended to four weeks. This means there are many issues to negotiate before the summit.

North Korea Has No Interest in Us; Achieving Results in Inter-Korean Relations Is Difficult Right Now

What is your outlook on inter-Korean relations? Recently, there has been a trend of removing loudspeakers and postponing Korea-US military exercises.

North Korea is not interested in us. North Korea is gaining a lot through strengthening its alliance with Russia. Contrary to what we might think, North Korea is unlikely to seek cash or other benefits through inter-Korean relations. If North Korea sent 10,000 to 20,000 mercenaries to Russia, it would have earned considerable foreign currency. They probably also received energy and other resources from Russia... So it is difficult to achieve results. The only way to achieve results would be to offer conditions highly favorable to North Korea, which would not benefit us at all. I hope such moves are not made for political purposes. I am open to pursuing win-win opportunities in relations with North Korea, but at the moment, there is nothing for us to win.

What do you expect from the new Democratic Party leadership under Jeong Cheongrae?

I imagine Jeong Cheongrae will be restless. It is difficult to do well as the ruling party leader when power is centered on the president, making it hard to find one's place. Jeong is outgoing and gets restless if he stays still, so I expect some discord to arise.

If Former Leader Cho Kuk Is Pardoned, It Will Be a Significant Burden for President Lee

What are your thoughts on the possible pardon of former leader Cho Kuk?

It is up to the president, but politically, if Cho Kuk is pardoned and reinstated, won't President Lee Jaemyung feel uncomfortable? That will probably be a major variable. Because Cho Kuk has high name recognition and support, President Lee will feel considerable pressure. For example, if Cho runs for Seoul mayor-he has already resigned from the National Assembly and has no reason not to run-he would become the most prominent player in the local elections, which would be a huge burden for President Lee Jaemyung.

Lee Junseok, who urged Mayor Oh Sehun to make a decisive move, did not deny the possibility of a realignment among conservative forces. He also emphasized the need to clarify around whom the political landscape will be formed.

Last time, Seoul Mayor Oh Sehun said he hoped the People Power Party and the Reform New Party would unite before the local elections.

Mayor Oh Sehun is now in a situation where he has to run for Seoul mayor again. Because of this, he is probably considering such matters very seriously. Mayor Oh has run in many elections so far, and if he thinks back to the election that was easiest and most comfortable for him, it would be the 2021 election, which he contested with Kim Chongin and Lee Junseok. I think that memory is why he is making such comments. I do not doubt Mayor Oh's good intentions at all. However, I have some disagreements about whether the outcome or the destination is appropriate. Mayor Oh also needs to make a decision along with his considerations. Isn't it time to decide whether he should just play the role of a kind elder indefinitely?

Is there a possibility that some People Power Party lawmakers, Mayor Oh Sehun, and the Reform New Party could merge to form a new conservative party before the local elections?

There is never a zero percent chance. However, I am not considering it at all right now. During the Bareunmirae Party days, many prominent figures participated-Ahn Cheolsoo, Yoo Seungmin, and 20 to 30 incumbent lawmakers. At that time, I noticed that while everyone was interested in the general election, they were very passive about the local elections. Also, when people of similar stature gather, it is difficult to establish leadership. In Korea, parties are often symbolized by individuals. Even if such an attempt is made, once alignment is lost, the party will fall apart. I am not saying I must lead the political landscape. However, from a public perspective, it must be clear around which presidential candidate the political landscape is being formed.

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Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheongrae has argued for the dissolution of the People Power Party. Do you think this could become a reality?

It won't be easy. Dissolving the People Power Party would be tantamount to suspending the constitutional order. That is why it would be difficult for the Constitutional Court to make such a ruling. However, if the mood among the justices shifts to a 6-to-2 split, anything could happen. The moment there is even a 1% chance, people will perceive it differently. If you were told there is a 1% chance of dying on this flight, would you board it? A 1% chance of dying is very high. If you were told there is a 1% chance of dying on a bus, no one would get on.

It seems you have given up hope for change within the People Power Party.

It is rare to find someone who can cut through problems decisively even once in a decade. The biggest problem for the People Power Party is who will become the hero, but I don't think attending rock festivals will make someone a hero. I understand why former leader Han Donghoon is doing what he's doing, but it's not the path to becoming a hero. Right now, there is no one in the People Power Party who is gathering energy. Sometimes, in order to gather energy, you need to be forgotten by the media for a while...

Currently, Lee Junseok, the leader of the People Power Party, diagnoses that the party needs a highly attractive politician with popularity and strong messaging skills.

The People Power Party Needs a Highly Attractive Figure with Popularity and Strong Messaging Skills

Do you think this current state of disarray will continue for some time?

These days, people from the People Power Party often ask me, "What will happen to the conservatives?"I tell them they need someone with high appeal. By appeal, I mean someone who can sway the political landscape with their eloquence or speeches, someone with popularity and strong messaging skills. What frustrates me most as a politician is that, due to the eccentricities of the Yoon Sukyeol administration, I have had almost no time for quiet reflection or contemplation over the past three years.

When I was the leader of the People Power Party, I often had such thoughts. Back then, I would sometimes write something for the party members and the public, and if I didn't like it, I would throw it away, and sometimes I could write something that resonated. But since President Yoon Sukyeol entered politics, it's been nothing but talk of imprisoning people and mutual hostility, which has been emotionally exhausting. When politicians are too busy just to survive, when will they have time to work for the people?

Title: Asia Economy Current Affairs YouTube "So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show" (http://www.youtube.com/@sisa_live)

Broadcast: Mon-Fri 4-5 p.m. Director: Lee Kyeongdo. Host: So Jongseop, Political Specialist