South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung criticized by lawmaker Na Kyung‑won over construction union remarks

President Lee Jae‑myung said in a Cabinet meeting that he could not understand how courts found construction‑union members guilty, describing the convictions as "nonsense." Lawmaker Na Kyung‑won of the People Power Party denounced the comment as an attack on the judiciary, posting on Facebook that Lee’s statement amounted to “intimidating the courts and undermining the separation of powers.” She warned that defending the convicted construction‑union officials – who have been described as “building thugs” who monopolise work, wield steel pipes, harass residents with loudspeakers and extort money – would give illegal actors a blanket pardon. Na cited the previous administration’s crackdown, noting that more than 4,800 construction workers were investigated and about 140 received guilty verdicts by the end of 2023. She argued that Lee’s portrayal of the union as “economic and social victims” ignores the higher housing prices and project delays suffered by ordinary citizens.