President Lee Rebuts Opposition Criticism: "Encouraging Voting Is Not Electioneering... We Must Choose Competent Workers"

"Saying 'let's vote' is not electioneering in favor of a particular camp"


Mentions statements by former presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye... "No one objects because it is the right thing to say"

On June 3, President Lee Jae-myung once again encouraged public participation in the June 3 local elections, stating, "Calling for the election of competent and loyal workers, and urging everyone to vote, cannot be considered campaign activity favoring a particular candidate or camp." He directly refuted some opposition figures' claims that such remarks violate political neutrality, emphasizing that appealing for voter turnout is a fundamental principle of democracy.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Senior Secretaries' Meeting held at the Blue House on the 28th. May 28, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee wrote on his social networking service X (formerly Twitter) on the same day, "Just as advice such as 'live honestly' or 'do not associate with bad people' cannot possibly be considered divisive or slanderous, neither can these words be seen as targeting anyone." He added, "Unless someone believes themselves to be a bad person, there is no reason to be upset by these words, which are essentially Confucian teachings on democracy."

President Lee also strongly refuted the view that messages encouraging people to vote constitute a breach of political neutrality. He stated, "If anyone believes that emphasizing the basic principles of democracy and participation in elections amounts to campaign activity or a violation of political neutrality, it is necessary to question whether their own moral and democratic standards are appropriate—even at the most basic level."

He went on to say, "In a democratic republic, the standards for political judgment should be common sense and the people," stressing that "politics should not be about criticizing others and hoping for accidental failures to one's own benefit, but rather a competition to do better."

President Lee also mentioned that former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye had made similar remarks encouraging voter participation. He said, "No one objected to former President Lee Myung-bak saying, 'I hope many citizens will vote,' or former President Park Geun-hye saying, 'Please make sure to participate in the vote,' because those statements are correct."

Previously, during the early voting period for the local elections, President Lee had also encouraged citizens to vote, stating that "voting is the lifeline of democracy." In response, opposition parties criticized the president's message, claiming it was, in effect, election interference favoring a particular camp.

President Lee concluded his statement by once again urging citizens to vote, addressing "the people of Korea, who are the sovereign and the owners of our reality and future," and saying, "For the sake of your own and your family's future, do not give up your right to vote. Let us find competent and loyal workers and make sure to cast our ballots."

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