President Lee’s ‘X Politics’: Focus on Everyday Economic Issues Amid Middle East Uncertainty

According to The Financial News, President Lee Jae Myung has been using his social networking service (SNS) accounts to state his positions on key issues and strengthen direct communication. As the shock from growing uncertainty originating in the Middle East has begun to materialize this month, concerns over rising global oil prices and inflation have increased. In response, President Lee’s SNS messages have increasingly focused on everyday economic issues. Political observers note that a large share of his recent SNS posts center on people’s livelihoods and market order.
As of the 17th, figures from political circles show that President Lee posted a total of 27 messages on his X (formerly Twitter) account between the 5th, immediately after returning from visits to Singapore and the Philippines, and the morning of the 16th. Of these, 15 posts were related to the economy. In other words, more than half of all posts dealt with everyday economic matters and current issues. His X account is known to be personally written and managed by President Lee himself. Many see his use of SNS to directly convey policy messages and his view of current affairs as having become an established channel for state communication.
Until now, President Lee had used his X account to directly express his views on a wide range of issues, including real estate. Since the Middle East situation escalated, however, his posts this month have clearly shifted to emphasize stabilizing the everyday economy. Analysts point out that messages about economic issues directly tied to daily life, such as international oil prices and inflation, have increased noticeably.
On the 13th, when the government implemented an oil price cap to counter the surge in global oil prices caused by instability in the Middle East, he posted three separate messages on the subject, signaling a strong commitment to stabilizing the market. At the time, President Lee wrote on X, "If you find any gas stations or other businesses violating the oil price cap, please report them to me without delay." In a follow-up post, he shared a fuel price map for gas stations in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, adding, "Are fuel prices stabilizing sufficiently? If you see price gouging, report it." That evening, he also posted information on his X account about the Oil Call Center, which receives reports related to the oil price cap, including its SNS account address, phone number, and website.
On the 9th, he uploaded a video of the Emergency Economic Review Meeting he chaired. In the video, President Lee told his aides, "As the crisis in the Middle East deepens, uncertainty in our internal and external economic environment is expanding significantly. Because it is difficult to predict how the situation will unfold, the government must prepare preemptive response measures with an extraordinary sense of resolve, keeping even the worst-case scenario in mind." The move is seen as an example of him directly communicating the government’s perception of external risks through SNS.

He has also highlighted illegal collusion and reiterated his determination to stabilize prices. Messages about restoring proper market order have been repeatedly emphasized.
On the 12th, President Lee shared on X a news article reporting that instant noodle and cooking oil companies would cut prices on some products starting in April. He wrote, "It is never easy to lower product prices, but through rigorous market monitoring and price management, we will minimize the burden on the public." He added, "The Republic of Korea (South Korea) has become notorious worldwide for its extremely high prices. Abusive price hikes that exploit monopolistic or oligopolistic positions can no longer be tolerated."
On the 9th, he also warned, "Corporate management must be conducted in a normal and lawful manner. All illegal acts will face strict sanctions without exception, and any unjust gains obtained through illegal means will be recovered in excess of the amount." He went on, "If you do not engage in illegal acts such as collusion, nothing will happen to you." On the 6th, when gas prices at filling stations began to surge, he stated, "Price-fixing and manipulation through collusion is a grave crime against the public. You will soon see how heavy the price for that will be," adding, "We will make sure that unscrupulous companies that commit illegal acts and disrupt the economic order learn the simple truth that you reap what you sow." He then stressed, "By mobilizing every lawful means, we will ensure that abnormal practices in the economic sphere are brought back to normal."
He has also sent messages aimed at eradicating unfair trading practices in the stock market. On the 5th, President Lee shared on X a news article reporting that the National Tax Service of South Korea had imposed a total of 257.6 billion won in additional taxes on 27 companies and more than 200 individuals who had disrupted the stock market through stock price manipulation and similar schemes. He commented, "This time is different from the past. A people-sovereign government does not make empty promises," and added, "The first goal of this government is to make it impossible to profit by relying on unfair systems or by acting against legitimate government policy."
He has also addressed pension issues. On the same day, President Lee pointed to problems in Basic Pension eligibility and proposed reforming the system based on the progressive welfare principle of thicker support for the poor. This would mean paying a higher Basic Pension to low-income seniors. He said, "It should not be a disadvantage for a married couple to grow old together. I am told there are even cases of sham divorces to avoid reductions in the Basic Pension," and emphasized, "Since reduced payments are due to a lack of fiscal resources, we will correct this as much as possible." On the 13th, referring to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s decision to count the entire period of military service as National Pension Service (NPS) subscription time starting next year, he declared, "We keep our promises. This is a people-sovereign government."
cjk@fnnews.com Reporter Choi Jong-geun Reporter