President Lee: "Those Who Undermine National Interest for Personal Gain Are Traitors... Rejecting Wars of Aggression Is the Spirit of Our Constitution"

On April 12, President Lee Jaemyung criticized, “Those who harm the national interest for personal gain are called traitors.” He also added that denying wars of aggression is a core value of the Korean Constitution. This statement is interpreted as a rebuttal to the opposition parties, who criticized the social media dispute between President Lee and Israel.

On the same day, President Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter), “There are many who do not realize that betraying the nation and harming the national interest for personal gain is a wrongdoing.” He went on to say, “Or perhaps they know, but still choose to do it.”

Yonhap News Agency

President Lee continued, “Even in politics and the media—fields where the pursuit of the public interest, including the national interest, is a mission—such acts of betrayal occur openly.” He emphasized, “Ultimately, this too is a national challenge that we must unite to address and overcome; it is a task of normalizing what is abnormal.”

President Lee further stated, “The sovereignty of each country and universal human rights must be respected, and wars of aggression are to be rejected.” He pointed out, “This is the spirit of our Constitution and a matter of international common sense.” He added, “Empathy is not only for individuals but also applies to relations between nations. The lives and property of others are as precious as my own. Only by showing respect can one receive respect in return.”

Previously, on April 10, President Lee shared a post and video on X, alleging that the Israeli Defense Forces had tortured Palestinian children and thrown them from rooftops. He condemned, “There is no difference between genocide against Jews and killings during war.”

However, controversy arose when it became known that the video in question was filmed in September 2024. Subsequently, President Lee posted again on social media, reiterating, “International humanitarian law must be observed under any circumstances, and human dignity must be upheld as the highest, non-negotiable value.”

In response, on April 11, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized President Lee’s remarks, stating, “President Lee made statements downplaying the Holocaust ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day. This is unacceptable and deserves strong condemnation.”

The opposition parties also voiced criticism of President Lee. Song Eonseok, parliamentary floor leader, wrote on Facebook on April 11, “Unnecessary emotional conflicts with foreign governments must stop.” In addition, Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform Party, commented on social media, “Diplomatically, this has put South Korea in a situation where there is little to gain.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.