Lee Jae-oh Urges 'Gyeonggi-Seongnam Line' to Keep Their Distance

Lee Jae-oh, senior advisor to the People Power Party, said on the 23rd that attacks based on unverified rumors regarding allegations of interference by Kim Hyun-ji, the presidential office's First Deputy Chief of Staff, and other figures of the so-called 'Gyeonggi-Seongnam line' amounted to nothing more than a political offensive. Speaking on CBS Radio's 'Park Sung-taek's News Show' that day, the senior advisor put the brakes on the offensive targeting the 'Gyeonggi-Seongnam line,' a group identified as close associates of President Lee Jae-myung. He argued that the very approach of cornering opponents based on mere rumors is the problem.

The senior advisor flatly dismissed the opposition's allegations concerning Kim Hyun-ji, the First Deputy Chief of Staff, as "unconfirmed stories." He said, "One should present clear facts and say 'take responsibility' or 'this is unacceptable.' But attacking by citing rumors circulating online — saying who is the real power holder and who should resign — is nothing but a political offensive." He went on to stress, "At the very least, they should have a recording, as common as those are. Only by presenting concrete facts in their attacks can the opposition gain credibility." He added, "Otherwise, the public will think, 'All they ever do is attack with nothing to back it up.'"

The senior advisor advised such figures to keep their distance, saying, "Those described as power holders or close associates must be careful and step back on their own once their person becomes president." He counseled, "They should think about staying a step away, and must not speak freely based on what they thought before their person became president," before adding, "If there are such people in the current Gyeonggi-Seongnam line, they must distance themselves from the president on their own accord."