President Lee Jae-myung expands direct communication via social media

President Lee Jae-myung is increasingly utilizing social media to communicate directly with the public, moving away from traditional official briefings and spokesperson-led messaging. This shift aims to bridge the gap between the presidency and citizens, though it has sparked significant political debate.

Lee has used his platforms to address livelihood issues, defend his administration's welfare priorities, and respond to political criticisms. He recently addressed controversy regarding his use of the term ‘jwa-ah-hage’ (a play on ‘gracefully’), clarifying it as a linguistic pun used within democratic reform circles rather than extremist slang. He also established a principle for blocking malicious comments to maintain healthy public discourse.

The President's approach has faced criticism from various sectors. Within his own party, some lawmakers expressed concern over unrefined emotional language and the potential for social media disputes to complicate diplomatic issues. Additionally, government officials noted the pressure caused when the President posts information on X (formerly Twitter) before official reviews are complete.

Furthermore, the President faced backlash from the Justice Party and women's rights groups after he praised the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon for his communication skills. Critics argued that this glorified a perpetrator of power-based sexual violence and failed to acknowledge the suffering of his victims, calling for an apology and a retraction of the remarks.