Lee Jun-seok, the Reform Party presidential candidate, noted on the 7th that 'Lee Jae-myung (Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate)'s pledge to create corporations like NVIDIA under state leadership is a typical example of 'Park Chung-hee-ism' and pointed out that it is a way of thinking that does not escape the limits of previous generations' state-led development.
On that day, the candidate visited Chungnam National University in Yuseong District, Daejeon, and made these comments while having a meal with students.
Earlier, Lee Jae-myung, the candidate, presented the 'K-NVIDIA' concept during an announcement of AI support policies, stating, 'By establishing a company like NVIDIA, if 70% is owned by the private sector and 30% is shared among the nation, we won’t need to rely on taxes.'
The candidate further stated regarding the anti-Lee Jae-myung big tent, 'There is no change in my position.' The People Power Party includes Lee Jun-seok in its broad conservative big tent plan to block Lee Jae-myung. However, Lee Jun-seok maintains that he aims to complete the election and win.
In response to concerns about weak support from demographics other than young people, the candidate said, 'Every vote in politics has meaning. I believe that right now, votes for Kim Moon-soo (the People Power Party presidential candidate) could be wasted votes,' indicating a focus on Kim Moon-soo, who has paused his campaign due to conflicts with the party.
The candidate asserted, 'I have neither supported martial law nor opposed impeachment, nor have I engaged in legislative overreach like Lee Jae-myung,' claiming, 'There is no one among the presidential candidates as free from political issues as I am.'
Regarding health insurance issues, the candidate said, 'Health insurance premiums will switch to a deficit in 2 to 3 years,' and added, 'We should reduce benefits for high-end medical services like MRIs and strengthen selective benefits for those diagnosed with serious illnesses like cancer.'
On the issue of military recruitment, the candidate explained, 'Former President Yoon Suk-yeol significantly improved soldier salaries, but did not correspondingly increase the treatment of officers and non-commissioned officers, leading to a drop in recruitment rates.' He stated, 'I want to introduce a Singapore-style military service model that offers officer opportunities based on performance to those who have completed basic military training.'