SEOUL – South Korea’s conservative opposition got a fresh-faced young leader to lead it into battle in next March’s presidential election with Lee Jun-seok’s victory at the People’s Power Party convention vote today.
The well-tailored, good-looking 36-year-old, who will serve as party head for the next two years, is, according to local media, the youngest-ever leader of a major South Korean political party since the advent of statehood in 1948.
However, as party chief, Lee will be navigating the party but not standing as its presidential candidate.
That means the PPP – itself a November 2020 brand, driven by the party’s desire to delink itself from the varied past misdeeds of Korea’s political right – needs to find a credible, voter-friendly figure to make a run at the presidential Blue House.