From the 386 Generation to Centrist and Conservative Voters in Their 20s and 30s: Factions in the Ruling Party Rally Around ‘New Lee Jae-myung’

With 80 days left until the June 3 local elections, signs of factional consolidation are emerging within the Democratic Party of Korea. These moves appear to be made with the upcoming party convention after the local elections in mind. Analysts say the atmosphere of rallying together has been fueled in particular by the effective breakdown of merger talks with the Rebuilding Korea Party, which were led by Jung Chung-rae of the Democratic Party of Korea, as well as by allegations raised on Kim Ou-joon’s YouTube channel about a supposed "deal to drop the indictment."
On the 15th, a forum titled "Debating New Lee Jae-myung: The New Lee Jae-myung Wave and the Democratic Party’s Outreach Strategy" was held at the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. In her opening remarks, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Un-ju said, "Over the past decade, the political establishment has failed to read the changes of the times and has clung only to the grammar of the past," adding, "Now, political parties must show competence by addressing each concrete issue with practical, pragmatic solutions and a clear level of detail."
The forum’s theme, "New Lee Jae-myung," refers to people who are not part of, or who reject, the traditional Democratic Party of Korea support base represented by the 386 Generation, but who back the Lee Jae-myung administration’s pragmatic policy line, such as measures to boost stock investment. As most of them are 20s and 30s centrist and conservative voters, the Democratic Party of Korea appears to view them as potential party members.
jiwon.song@fnnews.com Song Ji-won Reporter