Lee Un-ju


Lee Un-ju is a South Korean lawyer and politician serving as a member of the National Assembly in Gwangmyeong 2nd constituency since 2012. She formerly served as the deputy parliamentary leader of Democratic Unionist Party in 2012 and People's Party in 2017.

Biography

Born in Yeongdo District, Busan, Lee grew up in Singapore. She has a degree in French at Seoul National University, and passed the judicial examination in 1997. She was involved in several part-time jobs after her father's business went bankrupt during the economic crisis in 1997. Her mother died in 2011.
During the 2000s, Lee used to work as an entrepreneur at S-Oil and Renault Samsung Motors.

Political career

In early 2012, Lee was brought into the Democratic Unionist Party by its president, Han Myung-sook. She was nominated as a MP candidate for Gwangmyeong 2nd constituency, and defeated the incumbent Chun Jae-hui of Saenuri Party. She was re-elected to the same constituency in 2016.
During the presidential election in 2017, Lee criticised Moon Jae-in, the presidential candidate for Democratic Party. On 6 April, she shifted to People's Party and endorsed its candidate, Ahn Cheol-soo. At that time, the approval rate of Ahn was as high as Moon, after her endorsement by several anti-Moon politicians. Meanwhile, Ahn's approving then dropped and finished as 3rd, approximately half of Moon.
Lee unsuccessfully ran for the party president on 27 August. She agreed for the party's merger with Bareun Party, and joined Bareunmirae Party in the early 2018. In November 2018, sources reported that she would join the Liberty Korea Party.
On 23 April 2019, Lee declared to leave Bareunmirae.
In 2020 election, Lee was nominated the United Future candidate for Busan South 2nd constituency. However, she lost to the Democratic candidate and the incumbent MP Park Jae-ho.

Public orientation

Formerly, Lee positioned herself as a centrist, and once criticised right-wing movement of Japan. She is now considered as far-right, supporting a market economy, an anti-immigration stance, a stronger security policy, and a conservative outlook. However, she declares herself as liberal centre-right.

Economy

Lee is a capitalist who supports market economy and opposes the increase of minimum wages and pro-labour policies. She criticised President Moon's economic policy as socialism, and stated that "the US is enjoying prosperity due to capitalism". She does not oppose economic democracy but says that "leftists have ruined its original meaning".
Lee was widely criticised after she called school canteen cooks as "cooking moms".

Immigration

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

Personal life

Lee married to Choi Won-jae, a professor of Kyung Hee University. She born a son in 2009.

Election results

General elections