President Lee: "I Have Never Abandoned Reform... Extreme Agitation Must Be Avoided"

Progressive Camp Urged to Ensure Lee’s Reform Succeeds

President Lee Responds, “There Is Not a Single Incorrect Point”

Hopes for “A Democratic and Inclusive Growth Nation”

On September 12, President Lee Jae-myung stated, “I have never, even for a moment, given up on the goals and values of reform,” warning against the backlash to reform that can arise from extreme agitation.

On this day, President Lee quoted a post by Park Tae-hoon, Director of Youth Today Research Institute, on his X (formerly Twitter) account, which said, “President Lee must be enabled to succeed in his reform efforts.” Park’s post highlighted that the President’s difficult past is reflected in his will for reform and argued that the progressive camp should support him.

President Lee Jae-myung is seated after the national anthem at the Senior Presidential Secretary meeting held at the Blue House on September 11, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

In response, President Lee said, “There is not a single word in your remarks that is incorrect. Whether it was Lee Jae-myung, who at 25 abandoned the path of judge and prosecutor, went into debt, and began work as a human rights lawyer 36 years ago, or Lee Jae-myung of today in 2026, who is steering the Republic of Korea through every possible crisis and sprinting toward an irreplaceable nation of hope, my dream of building a world in which we live together and pursue justice for all has never changed.”

He continued, “History contains countless cases where excess and haste born out of unchecked revolutionary fervor have led to the tragedy of counter-revolutions. Reform must be conducted delicately and procedurally, under the broadest possible consensus, and must minimize pain and resistance to yield tangible results.” He further emphasized, “We must be vigilant against the possibility that some may exploit the pure aspirations for revolutionary change through reckless agitation aimed at demonstrating their own radical stance, which in turn incites backlash and resistance, ultimately hindering reform and fueling reactionary movements.”

President Lee also remarked, “If you do nothing, nothing will happen,” and explained, “During the process of positive change—namely, reform—the resistance and pain of those deprived of their vested interests are great, while the support and empathy from those who benefit are relatively minor.” He added, “I hope that we can all move forward together toward a country that is autonomous, peaceful, and safe, a democratic nation that is fair and inclusive and achieves growth for all.”

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