Lee Un-ju

Lee Un-ju (Korean: 이언주; born 8 November 1972) is a South Korean lawyer[1] and politician who served as the Member of the National Assembly for Gwangmyeong 2nd constituency from 2012 to 2020. She formerly served as the deputy parliamentary leader of the Democratic Unionist Party in 2012 and the People's Party in 2017.[2][1]

In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.
Lee Un-ju
이언주
Member of the National Assembly
In office
30 May 2012 – 29 May 2020
Preceded byChun Jae-hui
Succeeded byYang Ki-dae
ConstituencyGwangmyeong 2nd
Personal details
Born (1972-11-08) 8 November 1972
Yeongdo, Busan, South Korea
CitizenshipSouth Korean
Political partyPeople Power
Other political
affiliations		Democratic Unionist Party (2012-2013)
Democratic Party (2013-2014)
New Politics Alliance for Democracy (2014-2015)
Democratic Party of Korea (2015-2017)
People's Party (2017-2018)
Bareunmirae (2018-2019)
Onward for Future 4.0 (2020)
UFP (2020)
SpouseChoi Won-jae
Children1 son
Alma materSeoul National University
OccupationLawyer, politician
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Eon-ju
McCune–ReischauerYi Ŏn-chu

Biography

Born in Yeongdo, Busan,[3] Lee grew up in Singapore.[4][5] She has a degree in French at Seoul National University,[3] and passed the judicial examination in 1997.[2] She was involved in several part-time jobs after her father's business went bankrupt during the economic crisis in 1997.[1] Her mother died in 2011.[1]

During the 2000s, Lee worked as an entrepreneur at S-Oil and Renault Samsung Motors.[2][3]

Political career

In early 2012, Lee was brought into the Democratic Unionist Party (then the Democratic Party) by its president, Han Myung-sook.[6] She was nominated as an MP candidate for Gwangmyeong 2nd constituency, and defeated the incumbent Chun Jae-hui of the Saenuri Party.[7][1][6] She was re-elected to the same constituency in 2016.[6]

During the 2017 presidential election, Lee criticised Moon Jae-in, the presidential candidate for Democratic Party.[8] On 6 April, she shifted to the People's Party and endorsed its candidate, Ahn Cheol-soo.[8][7][6] At that time, the approval rate of Ahn was as high as Moon, after her endorsement by several anti-Moon politicians.[6] Meanwhile, Ahn's approving then dropped and finished as 3rd (21.41%), approximately half of Moon.[6]

Lee unsuccessfully ran for the party president on 27 August. She supported the party's merger with the Bareun Party, and joined the Bareunmirae Party in the early 2018. In November 2018, sources reported that she would join the Liberty Korea Party.[9]

On 23 April 2019, Lee left Bareunmirae.[10][11]

In the 2020 election, Lee was nominated as the United Future candidate for Busan South 2nd constituency.[12] However, she lost to the Democratic candidate and incumbent MP Park Jae-ho.[13]

2021 Busan mayoral election

The resignation of the Mayor of Busan Oh Keo-don on 23 April 2020 following the allegations of sexual harassment has provoked the by-election in 2021.[14][15]

On 17 December 2020, Lee announced her intention to run for the Busan mayorship at Convention Hall of Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre (BEXCO).[16][17] She cited a sexual harassment controversy related to the former Mayor Oh and indicated that the by-elections must be the "base" of the regime change.[16][17] The following was her manifesto included in her declaration:[16][17]

  • To combat the COVID-19 pandemic:
    • 1 million won (≒ ￡640.50) monthly income per person
    • Free self-test kits
  • Building a new airport (replacing the incumbent Gimhae International Airport) in Gadeok Island
  • Establishing a 'happy city for mothers and families'
  • Developing Busan as a maritime city
  • Administrative, social and cultural innovation

Lee contested PPP preselection on 4 March 2021, but lost to the former MP for Suyeong Park Hyung-joon and the former Deputy Mayor Park Seong-hun.[18][19]

Public orientation

Formerly, Lee positioned herself as a centrist.[20] She is now considered part of the Korean far-right,[21] supporting a market economy,[21] a stronger security policy, and holding a conservative outlook on issues such as immigration.[22][23] However, she considers herself as centre-right liberal.[22][23]

Economy

Lee is a capitalist[20] who supports market economy and opposes the increase of minimum wages[20] and pro-labour policies. She criticised President Moon's economic policy as socialism,[24] and stated that "the US is enjoying prosperity due to capitalism".[20] She does not oppose economic democracy but says that "leftists have ruined its original meaning".[25]

Lee was widely criticised after she called school canteen cooks as "cooking moms".[6]

Immigration

Lee denounced the Yemeni refugees on Jeju Island as "impostors seeking jobs and money" and opposes them.[25] She said, "South Korean conservatives must ensure the view towards immigration policy".[22][23] She wants to reduce the number of foreign workers and mentioned that the government should prioritise locals.[22][23] Lee also advocates for harsher policy for illegal immigrants.[22]

Personal life

Lee is married to Choi Won-jae, a professor at Kyung Hee University.[26] She gave birth to a son in 2009.

Election results

General elections
YearConstituencyPolitical partyVotes (%)Remarks
2012Gwangmyeong 2ndDUP43,441 (50.09%)Won
2016Gwangmyeong 2ndDemocratic50,195 (52.18%)Won
2020South 2ndUFP39,575 (48.74%)Defeated

References
  1. "이언주 의원은 누구? 왜 정치를 시작하게 되었을까?". Gyotong Sinmun. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  2. "이언주 프로필". Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  3. "이언주 '21대 총선은 "운동권 세력" 심판하는 선거돼야'". 14 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  4. "남편이 매일 아침 먹여주는 비타민~이언주의 에너지 비결". 26 September 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  5. "'文 정권 폭주' 맞서는 이언주 바른미래당 의원". Chosun Monthly. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  6. "'보수의 여전사' 이언주, 그 종착지가 궁금하다". 7 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  7. "이언주 의원, 민주당 탈당과 함께 국민의당 입당 선언". 7 April 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  8. "<색다른 시선, 김종배입니다> 이언주"문재인, 앙샹레짐(구체제)에 가까운 후보"". 6 April 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  9. "이상돈 '이언주, 한국당 行?…본인도 좋고 한국당도 좋고'". JoongAng Ilbo. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  10. "이언주 "바른미래에 남을 이유 없다" 탈당 선언…패스트트랙 반발(종합)". 23 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  11. "이언주, 바른미래당 탈당..."新보수의 길 갈 것"". 23 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  12. "이언주, 부산 남구을 전략공천에 "부산 전체가 내 고향"". 5 March 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  13. "[속보]박재호, 부산 남구을서 이언주 꺾고 재선 성공". No Cut News. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  14. "울먹이는 오거돈, 부산시장 사퇴…"女에 불필요한 신체접촉 인정" [종합]". 23 April 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  15. "오거돈 부산시장, 여성 직원 성추행…시장직 사퇴". 23 April 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  16. "[전문] "책임 묻는 선거돼야" 이언주 부산시장 보선 출마 선언". 17 December 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  17. "부산시장 출마선언 이언주 "서울 보선과 함께 정권교체 동력돼야"". 17 December 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  18. "[2보] 국민의힘 서울시장 후보에 오세훈…부산은 박형준". 4 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  19. "국민의힘, 서울·부산시장 후보로 '오세훈·박형준' 선출". 4 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  20. "이언주 '급격한 최저임금 인상은 경제적 자살'". 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  21. "'극우본색' 이언주 '이해찬은 북한 김정은이 '동지'이고 보수가 "주적"이냐'". 9 October 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  22. "이언주 '외국인 노동자, 자국민과 똑같이 취급해야 하나'". 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  23. "이언주는 '젊은 세대'로서 '자국민 중심주의'를 외친다". 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  24. "[듣고보니] 9·13 후속조치…이언주 '사회주의냐'vs 이해식 '악용 사례 막아야'". 12 October 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  25. "이언주 "운동권 좌파 몰아내는 게 나의 꿈"". 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  26. "이언주 의원 남편은 누구?...'요리 잘해'". 28 November 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
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