Attention is now being paid to Lee Jun-seok, who became the first person to lead the conservative main opposition People Power Party while still in his 30s.

The 36-year-old graduated from the elite Seoul Science High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and computer science from Harvard University.

One of the “Park Geun-hye kids” who were drawn into politics by Park in 2011, when she was the head of Saenuri Party, a predecessor of People Power Party, and before she was president. As a relatively young politician, he served as a member of an emergency response committee and leader of an innovation committee until 2016.

After the impeachment of Park in 2016, he left the Saenuri Party and joined the minor conservative Bareun Party. He then moved to the liberal-conservative Bareunmirae Party after the Bareun Party and minor liberal People’s Party were merged.

He ran for election to the National Assembly in 2016, 2018 and 2020 but was defeated each time.

Lee raised his political profile by appearing as a panelist on various TV shows and gaining popularity by actively targeting men in their 20s, who are deemed to be relatively marginalized under the current administration.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)