Although President Lee Jae Myung has been in office for less than a year, power struggles ahead of the next presidential election have already begun. If not properly managed, these struggles could spiral out of control, ultimately undermining not only Lee’s leadership but also the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). Tensions are brewing within the ruling camp. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has been at odds with Kim Ou-joon, a popular progressive YouTuber who wields considerable influence on the left. Within the ruling camp, Kim Ou-joon has emerged as a power broker, allegedly seeking to use his influence to shape the internal power game in favor of his preferred politician — DPK Chairman Jung Chung-rae. The two Kims clashed over a public opinion survey related to the Seoul mayoral election, scheduled for June 3. On Dec. 1, 2025, Prime Minister Kim requested polling agencies remove his name from the list of potential candidates, stating that he had no intention of running in the election. His request, however, was ignored. In a recent poll conducted by Flower Research — a polling
Digital power broker: How YouTuber weaponizes influence to shape the DPK power game
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