President Lee Jae Myung to Ruling-Camp Supporters: "Harsh Attitudes Are an Obstacle to Reform and Unity"

[Financial News] President Lee Jae Myung deleted an X (formerly Twitter) post shared by a supporter with a history of disparaging figures from the opposition and within the same political camp. He also formally expressed regret after controversy arose over his quoting the post.
In a post titled "The President's Friends" that he uploaded to X on the night of the 19th, President Lee said, "The controversy arising from my quoting an X friend's post yesterday is regrettable and unfortunate in many respects." He added, "If anyone was hurt by other posts written by the author of the quoted post, I express my regret."
President Lee emphasized, "When quoting someone's post on X, it is impossible to check every one of the author's past posts and expressions," adding, "Quoting an anonymous post means quoting the post itself as expressed; it does not mean supporting, defending, endorsing, or empathizing with all of the author's claims and writings."
Addressing ruling-camp supporters in particular, whom he called "the president's friends," he said, "Even now, please cast aside hatred, sarcasm, and emotional attacks, and engage in rational criticism based on facts and affection, as well as dignified persuasion and warm appeals."
After President Lee finished the press conference, he quoted an X post by a supporter summarizing his reform achievements and replied, "Thank you. This is greatly comforting. I will pursue more reforms to create a better world..." The move sparked controversy within the ruling camp. It came after it became known that the supporter who wrote the post had previously published posts disparaging other ruling-camp supporters using derogatory terms, including the so-called 'Munjo Teollae-yu.' As the controversy spread, President Lee deleted the post.
President Lee emphasized, "Friends of the president, we are comrades who rely on one another and act together to realize each of our dreams," adding, "Please think and act as though you are Lee Jae Myung and the president himself."
President Lee expressed concern, saying, "The abrasive behavior of the president's friends does not expand support and sympathy; instead, it becomes material for inciting hatred toward the president and a reason and pretext for criticism." He continued, "Stoking conflict and hostility through verbal abuse, sarcasm, derogatory names, and hatred—not through healthy debate and rational criticism—reduces our allies and increases our enemies," and pointed out, "It does not help reform and unity; rather, it raises obstacles."
He also referred to the dissolution of Son Ga-hyeok (the Finger Revolution Army), which had once been his fan club, saying, "It would be good to think once again about why we dissolved Son Ga-hyeok," and explained, "I am a president of unity who must serve all citizens, and a president of reform who must bring together everyone's strength to realize the dreams we share."
He continued, "You are the president's friends who will join hands to achieve the president's goals," and said, "We are no longer a presidential candidate who must fight and win; we are already a president who must take unlimited responsibility for the world."
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