Opposition assails President Lee’s social media politics: “Not communication, but a bid to rally his support base”

[Financial News] On the 11th, the People Power Party criticized President Lee Jae-myung’s frequent social media posts, calling them “catering to the ‘left’ to shore up his approval rating, not communication with the public.” The opposition also continued its attacks over President Lee’s mention of the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk wrote on Facebook that President Lee Jae-myung’s “left-elegant” communication was fueling public anger. “Jwa-a,” or “left-elegant,” is internet slang formed by replacing “right” with “left” in the Korean word for “elegant.”
In a commentary, People Power Party chief spokesperson Choi Bo-yoon said, “The number of posts, which had been 30 to 40 a month after he took office, exceeded 100 last September, when his approval rating was wavering.” She asked, “Is this communication for the people, or for rallying his support base?”
Choi said, “Markets are shaken by the president’s posts, farmers take to the streets, and diplomats are left explaining themselves,” and urged that policy announcements and foreign affairs and security issues be handled through official channels, not social media.
Criticism also poured in over President Lee’s post on X (formerly Twitter): “I think of the late Mayor Park Won-soon. He was the person who taught me the importance of communication and of social media as a means of communication.”
People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo brought up the sexual harassment case involving the late mayor on Facebook and criticized the post, saying, “You say you miss a sex offender?” He added, “President Lee’s post on X today is an unmistakable case of secondary victimization,” and called for it to be deleted and for an apology.
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon also argued, “The president of South Korea must not publicly venerate a former Seoul mayor who committed a sex crime involving an abuse of power, did not even apologize to the victim, and died by suicide.”
Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min took issue with President Lee’s social media messages about real estate. Yoo said, “Rather than reflecting on policy failures, he stubbornly clings to failed policies, blames the previous administration, and says not a word about the crisis in the jeonse and monthly-rental markets that is causing hardship for ordinary people.”
He also criticized the president’s social media for being directed only at people within his own camp, rather than promoting national unity, and for being mired in power struggles among themselves that have nothing to do with people’s livelihoods, calling it “a serious problem.”
The Reform Party also joined in. In a commentary, spokesperson Cha Ho claimed that President Lee posted 18 times on social media over the three-day National Foundation Day holiday, while holding only seven formal press conferences in the 16 months since taking office.
Cha called for regular press conferences, saying, “If you don’t take questions and only post, that’s not communication—it’s simply issuing announcements.”

[email protected] Kim Kyung-min Reporter