South Korean President Lee Jae-myung controversy

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has faced significant criticism following remarks regarding the economic impact of migrant workers. During a Cabinet meeting, Lee suggested that foreign workers do not contribute much to the national economy because they remit their earnings abroad, proposing instead that the government prioritize Korean citizens through wage subsidies.

Following backlash from migrant rights groups and the Justice Party, Lee clarified that his comments were intended to compare the economic stimulation provided by domestic workers versus foreign nationals. He also requested a correction from The Hankyoreh newspaper regarding its reporting of his statements.

The controversy expanded into a political dispute with lawmaker Han Dong-hoon over multicultural family policies. President Lee used social media to question whether certain preferential treatments for multicultural families constitute “reverse discrimination.” Han criticized the President’s approach, arguing that using unverified online community content to drive policy discussions creates “noise” rather than effective governance, though he acknowledged the need to review specific benefits.