Young voters turning away from Yoon Suk Yeol, but torn over backing Lee Jae-myung

Recent polls highlight voter uncertainty

By KTimes

Young voters in their 20s and 30s remain deeply divided and politically uncertain following the Dec. 3 martial law fiasco.

Some, disillusioned by the government's actions, have turned against the ruling People Power Party (PPP), yet remain unwilling to support Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). Others, initially critical of martial law, have grown sympathetic toward it, citing what they see as the opposition's hypocrisy.

The divide is fueling heated demonstrations on university campuses, where young protesters wield light sticks as symbols of resistance, leading impeachment efforts against President Yoon Suk Yeol.

At the same time, frustration with the opposition’s neglect of younger generations has pushed some to join rallies against impeachment, signaling a shift toward conservatism.

Recent polls highlight this uncertainty. A Gallup Korea survey released Feb. 28 found that 71 percent of respondents aged 18 to 29 supported impeachment, the second-highest rate after those in their 40s (73 percent).

However, in a potential early presidential election, only 22 percent of voters in their 20s said they would support Lee Jae-myung, compared to 35 percent of the general public.

Meanwhile, 55 percent of young voters remained undecided — the highest among all age groups — with 46 percent of those in their 30s also withholding judgment, indicating a wait-and-see approach among the younger electorate.

To better understand young voters' perspectives, the Hankook Ilbo conducted face-to-face and phone interviews with 28 people from Feb. 20 to 21, amid intense impeachment protests at Korea University.

Interviewees were asked about their 2022 presidential vote, views on martial law, impeachment stance, party preference and what qualities they seek in a national leader. They also shared how their views have evolved and what influenced those changes.

Regardless of their stance on impeachment or party support, respondents overwhelmingly valued "communication skills" and "a unifying leadership style" in a future leader.

Young voters remain wary of Lee

Among those who voted for Yoon in the 2022 election, many now support his impeachment. They argue that martial law, which plunged the country into fear, was unconstitutional and unjustifiable.

"I supported Yoon and the People Power Party, but after experiencing martial law, I was deeply disappointed, confused and depressed," said university student Oh Yoon-soo. "I was shocked that even the conservative ruling party defended martial law, which violated procedural norms, individual freedoms and the principle of separation of powers."

Some voters said that even if Yoon returned to office, they had no confidence in his governance.

"Looking at Yoon’s unilateral handling of policies over the past two and a half years — such as the mass resignation of medical interns due to legislative gridlock and the cuts to research and development budgets — I have no expectations for his administration. Even if impeachment is overturned, I don’t think he can govern effectively," said officer worker Lee Byung-min, 26.

This suggests a significant defection of young male voters who were instrumental in Yoon’s election victory.

Park Jae-joon, 26, a self-identified conservative who did not vote in the last presidential election, said he sympathized with the argument that the DPK’s actions — such as fast-tracking legislation and mass impeachments — had made governance difficult. However, he questioned whether martial law was a necessary response.

"I understand that the opposition’s actions created a crisis, but was martial law really the only option? Not impeaching Yoon would set a dangerous precedent, so impeachment should be upheld," Park said.

Discontent with both parties

Despite turning away from Yoon, many respondents remained unwilling to vote for Lee in an early presidential election.

Oh said, "If Lee is on the ballot, I would vote for the People Power Party. But if Employment and Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo is their candidate, I wouldn't vote at all. Abstaining from voting is also a right."

By contrast, Lee Byung-min said, "I generally oppose a [DPK] government, but if Lee Jae-myung prioritizes economic growth, such as real estate policies, I might consider voting for him."

Among the 11 respondents who had previously voted for Lee or Justice Party candidate Sim Sang-jung, none opposed Yoon's impeachment. Many said they no longer saw the ruling PPP as an option.

One interviewee, Lee Soo-young, 27, said, "Regardless of Yoon’s political struggles, considering martial law as an option crossed a line. I am also extremely disappointed that conservative politicians have been attending far-right rallies. The only way to hold them accountable is through voting."

Some young women expressed particular dissatisfaction with the ruling party. Cho Yu-bin, 22, a university student, described the PPP as "a party that has turned its back on women." She added, "The martial law situation revealed their true nature — they prioritize the privileged over the vulnerable."

While these voters intend to support Lee in a snap election, they also set conditions.

"Even if Lee becomes president, he must not engage in political retaliation," said one respondent. "We need a leader who looks forward, not one who removes political opponents. The Moon Jae-in administration’s so-called 'eradication of deep-rooted evils' only divided the country further. We should learn from that mistake."

Another interviewee, Han Ho-joon, 23, said that the current political divide stems from "a failure of inclusive politics."

"The idea that young men are turning conservative is a direct result of how political parties fueled gender conflict in the last election to win votes. The focus of the next election must be on national unity," he said.

Han added that if Lee wins, he "must avoid abusing the majority rule" and should prioritize dialogue and consensus-building.

Some Yoon supporters justify martial law

A minority of young voters who backed Yoon in 2022 and still support his return to office expressed a different perspective.

"At first, martial law seemed frightening, but over time, I came to believe in election fraud," said Park Jae-hyun, 23, a university student. "If the DPK stole 170 seats through fraud, their laws are illegitimate, and martial law became inevitable."

He also cited past political controversies, such as the 2019 Cho Kuk scandal, which involved allegations of academic fraud and corruption.

"At first, I thought Yoon should have appealed to the public instead of imposing martial law," Park said. "But the DPK’s hypocrisy reminded me of the Cho Kuk scandal, and I started believing in election fraud. Martial law seemed like the only solution."

Some undecided on impeachment

"Whether martial law was lawful and whether impeachment is necessary should be left to the Constitutional Court," said 28-year-old Son, a job seeker. "But regardless, the situation has damaged Korea’s global image and national competitiveness."

Son added, "I don’t trust either party to act in the country’s best interest. The next president must prioritize dialogue, negotiation and cooperation."

Political analyst Uhm Kyung-young said that young voters were split in 2022, with roughly half supporting Yoon and the other half backing Lee.

"The fact that even [DPK] supporters do not fully support Lee shows growing discontent with unsustainable policies, such as universal cash handouts, and the party’s prioritization of labor unions and civil society groups dominated by older generations," Uhm said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.