Lee: “Cabinet members can’t speak because meetings are open? That’s a lie... They say everything they have to say.”

[Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung said on the 18th, responding to criticism of partially opening Cabinet meetings, “It is difficult to understand why they are pressuring to keep the meetings from being made public, even going so far as to lie that Cabinet members cannot speak because the meetings are open.”
That day, President Lee wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Anyone who has watched the open Cabinet meetings knows this,” adding, “Cabinet members, as well as agency chiefs and committee chairs who are not Cabinet members, and even local government heads, all say everything they have to say.”
He went on to say that he had “deliberately increased the number of attendees substantially to broaden engagement on state affairs and hear diverse opinions,” rebutting claims that open meetings constrain attendees’ ability to speak.
President Lee explained, “Closed-door sessions are also held without exception at every Cabinet meeting.” He said he found it difficult to understand the pressure to end the partial public opening of Cabinet meetings, which the public welcomes.
On hearing dissenting views and the role of internal checks within organizations, he also said, “I have always enjoyed debate and particularly respect people who voice opposing views,” adding, “I emphasize that red teams must function effectively within organizations to prevent problems and accidents.”
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