Lee Baek-yun
Lee Baek-yun is a South Korean activist and socialist politician. He was the Labour Party presidential candidate at the [2022 South Korean language|Korean presidential election|2022 presidential election].
Career
Lee was born in 1977 and grew up in Goheung, South Jeolla. His father was a construction worker, and his mother used to work in various sectors, such as food caravans and restaurants.As a secondary student, he read books about the Gwangju Uprising, which motivated him to be an activist. After graduation, he attended Chung-Ang University in 1996, where he studied Korean but was expelled. He led an occupy movement at the main building.
After finishing national service, Lee did not return to university, but applied to Donghee Auto Co. Ltd., where Kia Morning was produced, in 2005. As a temporary employee, he organised a trade union and fought for the rights of temporary workers. He was, however, fired for not mentioning his university background on his résumé. Another 21 employees that he worked with were also fired. He launched a struggle against the company's decision to dismiss him and his colleagues, which he claimed as "void". He was arrested and jailed for a year.
After being released from prison, Lee joined the Socialist Revolutionary Workers' Party, a left-wing unregistered political party. He served as the SRWP South Chungcheong chairman.