Lee Jae-myung Warns of Defamation Over Fake News About Kim Hye-kyung's Birthplace

President Lee Jae-myung warned that false online posts claiming his wife, First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, is pushing to restore her birthplace amount to "a crime of defamation." Lee made the remarks on X (formerly Twitter) while sharing a post criticizing a group photo of people holding a banner reading "Launch of the Committee to Restore First Lady Kim Hye-kyung's Birthplace."

"The talk of restoring the birthplace was a July 2025 episode," he explained, adding that "while her in-laws' home is in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, my wife's birthplace is an obstetrics clinic in Seoul." He added, "When the controversy erupted in July last year, we sternly warned those involved, and the matter is already closed."

"Criticism is free, but making a nonexistent issue seem like current fact is not freedom of expression—it is a crime that defames others," the president emphasized. "Attacking people by presupposing words never spoken and events that never happened as if they were facts must be avoided."

President Lee is currently on a state visit to Mexico with First Lady Kim Hye-kyung. The presidential couple arrived in Mexico on Tuesday, local time. Lee is continuing his state visit itinerary, including a dinner meeting with Korean compatriots in Mexico City on Wednesday, local time. He rebutted the post directly on social media during his overseas trip.