President Lee Jae-myung asks supporters to refrain from hateful rhetoric

President Lee Jae-myung posted a message titled 'Friends of the President' on X (formerly Twitter) on the 19th, urging supporters of the ruling party to engage in fact-based, reasonable criticism and dignified communication instead of hate speech, mockery, and emotional attacks.

The events of the previous day were the direct background for this post. After wrapping up a press conference at the presidential office in Yongsan on the 18th, President Lee quoted a supporter's post summarizing his reform achievements on X, writing, 'Thank you. It is a great comfort to me.' However, when it came to light that the supporter had previously used the derogatory nickname 'Moonjo-teollaeyu' in another post, criticism arose and the president deleted the quoted post. 'Moonjo-teollaeyu' is a derogatory term coined to demean the opposing faction during internal factional conflicts within the Democratic Party of Korea.

President Lee made specific appeals to his supporters. He said, 'It is often said that you can know a person by looking at their friends,' and asked, 'If the people a president smiles and talks with regularly engage in abusive language, derogatory nicknames, and mockery, how would that president appear in the eyes of the public?' He went on to write, 'The rough attitude of the president's friends does not expand support and empathy; ultimately, it becomes material for inciting hatred toward the president, and grounds and justification for criticism.' He pointed out, 'Fostering conflict and hostility through abusive language, mockery, derogatory nicknames, and hatred reduces allies and increases enemies, raising obstacles to reform and integration.'