[Current Affairs Show] Who Are the 'New Lee Jaemyung' and the 'Lee Jaemyung New Faction'?

Blocking Jung Cheongrae's Merger Initiative Draws Attention
New Force Aligns with President Lee's Centrist and Pragmatic Agenda
Kang Deukgu, Lee Eunju, Han Junho, and Hwang Myungseon at the Forefront

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Recently, "Jaemyeong's Village," which is considered the leading fan club of President Lee Jaemyung, forcibly expelled Democratic Party of Korea Representative Jung Cheongrae and senior member Lee Seongyun. This can be seen as a symbolic event reflecting the current political dynamics. The catalyst for this incident was the merger negotiations between the Democratic Party of Korea and the Reform Party led by Cho Kuk. First, the process in which Representative Jung pushed for the merger was not smooth. He gave room for criticism by failing to consult with other senior members in advance. Additionally, the pro-Lee (pro-Myung) faction began to suspect that, behind the scenes of the merger efforts, there might be attempts to secure political leadership by forming alliances with the pro-Moon (pro-Moon Jaein) political group and to gain an upper hand at the party convention in August. As a result, the anti-Jung and pro-Lee groups began to organize in earnest and intensified their attacks on Representative Jung.

Amid these developments, a new force within the ruling party has drawn attention: "New Lee Jaemyung." This term refers to the new support base that joined the Democratic Party of Korea after the last presidential election. Of the 3.1 million party members, about 1.94 million-63%-became members after Lee Jaemyung became the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate in 2022. After the "Yoon Sukyeol Martial Law" incident, it is reported that around 500,000 people joined the party. This group is distinctly different from the Democratic Party’s traditional base, which is symbolized by Honam, former student activists, and the 586 generation (those born in the 1960s and who attended university in the 1980s, now in their early 50s or 60s). The "New Lee Jaemyung" group is more typically from the Seoul metropolitan area, not from activist circles, and part of the "97 Group" (those born in the 1970s and who attended university in the 1990s, now in their early 40s or 50s).

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Politically, this group has a strong centrist and conservative tendency. This shift toward the center was the result of President Lee Jaemyung, a non-activist, declaring "I am also a conservative." They resonate with a culture that values pragmatism, results, and centrism. Through policies such as a KOSPI 5000 era, town hall meetings, and live national cabinet meetings, they have experienced a sense of efficacy-feeling that "the president is actually getting things done"-and thus support the president beyond ideological lines. Members of "New Lee Jaemyung" refer to the traditional base as "Moon Again" (meaning the pro-Moon Jaein faction regaining influence). They have a strong aversion to figures such as Kim Eo-jun, author Yoo Si-min, Representative Jung Cheongrae, and Cho Kuk. For them, Representative Cho Kuk is seen more as a "symbol of hypocrisy" than a comrade.

The remarks by Representative Jung Cheongrae that "the Ddanzi board is the barometer of public sentiment," and the heated debate between Kim Eo-jun and Prime Minister Kim Minseok over the Seoul mayoral poll, stoked growing discontent, which then exploded over the "merger initiative." A senior member of the Democratic Party regarded as part of "New Lee Jaemyung" even said, "I was surprised," as the anti-Jung Cheongrae faction quickly united and ultimately thwarted the merger. This was a symbolic event showing the changing power dynamics within the ruling bloc. "New Lee Jaemyung" has now become a term representing not only the "pro-Lee" faction but also those who empathize with President Lee’s centrist, conservative, and pragmatic governance. Senior members Kang Deukgu, Lee Eunju, Hwang Myungseon, and Assemblyman Han Junho are at the forefront of this movement.

Lee Eunju, Hwang Myungseon, and Kang Deukgu, senior committee members of the Democratic Party of Korea, are holding an urgent press conference criticizing representative Jeong Cheongrae at the National Assembly communication office on the 23rd. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Those supporting Representative Jung Cheongrae refer to this group as "New Subak" (New Watermelon, a derogatory term for perceived traitors). The distance between "New Lee Jaemyung" and "New Subak" is growing. Cultural, ideological, and generational differences are all interacting to create the so-called pro-Jung versus anti-Jung, or pro-Jung versus pro-Lee, confrontation that characterizes the current situation within the ruling bloc. The first major showdown is expected to take place at the party convention in August.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.