Lee, Yoon race to attract moderate voters

With the presidential election some 80 days away, ruling and opposition party standard bearers are scrambling to attract moderate voters. Ruling Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung is demanding the government to reconsider the policy to reflect actual transaction prices of real estate in taxation in a move to differentiate himself from the Moon Jae-in administration, continuing so-called ‘realty power game.’ Countering this move, People Power Party candidate Yoon Seok-youl said, “The next administration will have a number of ministers who are in their 30s,’ attempting to lure voters in their 20s and 30s.

“The policy to reflect actual real estate transaction prices for taxation should be reconsidered by taking into account people’s livelihood,” Lee said, putting the brake on the incumbent administration’s real estate policy. With public sentiment towards the real estate tax policy turning increasingly negative just ahead of release of official registered prices of detached houses on Thursday, Lee is openly raising issue with the policy.

In the meantime, Yoon is continuing his drive to embrace liberal voters as well as youth. “If the government becomes a digital platform government, we will see many ministers who are in their 30s,” Yoon said in a Facebook post Sunday. “Young generations should actively participate in government operation and should spearhead the digital platform government.” Yoon made the remarks to stress his plan to appoint many young people to his administration after stating Saturday, “If I assumes the administration, I will appoint a number of advisors and aides from youth.”


Ji-Hyun Kim jhk85@donga.com