Lee Criticizes 'Mugeukpa' Hardliners in Ruling Bloc... Directly Counters Netizen's Claims

Lee's Politics on SNS During the Holiday: Aimed at Internal Criticism in the Ruling Bloc
On Criticism of Dinner with Jeong Cheong-rae: "A More Objective Viewpoint"
"Reform Should Not Be for Applause"... Labels Blind Factions as "Irresponsible Extremists"
Lee Jae-myung's Approach to Reform and Personnel Stressed Day After Day
Promotion of Public Livelihood and Economic Policies Continues

President Lee Jae-myung has been directly responding to internal criticism and hardline views within the ruling bloc through social networking services (SNS) during the National Foundation Day holiday. Addressing supporters who criticized his dinner with Jeong Cheong-rae, former leader of the Democratic Party, he countered, "Perhaps it would be good to try looking at matters from a more objective viewpoint." To arguments prioritizing the clarity of reform, he drew a line, saying, "Reform should not be merely for political achievements or enthusiastic support." Furthermore, he labeled those who repeatedly engage in baseless agitation and extreme assertions within the ruling bloc as "irresponsible extremists," referring to them as the so-called "Mugeukpa."

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Senior Secretaries' Meeting held at the Blue House on October 1, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On October 3, when a netizen criticized their dinner on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Please stop harassing Cheong-rae," President Lee personally replied. According to reports, Lee and Jeong held a dinner meeting lasting about four hours at the Blue House on October 1, with Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoon-sik also in attendance, where they discussed current state affairs and party issues.

In response to the netizen's criticism, President Lee explained that he had promised to meet Jeong while he was hospitalized and that, after his participation in the United Nations General Assembly and an official visit to Mexico, he fulfilled that promise by having dinner together. He described Jeong as "a comrade with whom I've fought together through the night of rebellion," and emphasized, "He was not being dragged by me, and I certainly did not harass him." Jeong also later denied interpretations suggesting that he was slighted, underscoring the importance of unity within the party.

President Lee's SNS posts then addressed voices within the ruling bloc that were critical of the Lee Jae-myung administration's approach to reform. On October 4, Lee stated, "Reform must be the ultimate goal; it should not be used as a tool to show off one's clarity, attract attention, or attack others. It should be pursued for the sake of the public and the nation, not for someone's political achievements or applause." He specifically pointed out, "Trying to make noise with the process just to draw attention only serves to hinder outcomes," directly targeting the internal 'competition for clarity' within the ruling camp regarding prosecution reform and the appointment of the Chief of the Major Crime Investigation Agency.

That evening, President Lee issued an even stronger warning about excessive internal feuding. He stated, "Regardless of whether it is left or right, frontline or rear, we must remain cautious of irresponsible extremism wherever it may appear." He added, "The more one holds authority and responsibility, the more necessary it is to be vigilant." He also pointed out that many reckless assertions and baseless agitation not followed by accountability often stem from self-interest—namely, "the desire to stand out and monopolize the fruits of reform" rather than prioritizing the people or the nation.

President Lee raised the issue of 'post-truth' politics, moving beyond the realm of simple intraparty conflict. He criticized the current reality in which behaviors such as making hasty conclusions and groundless speculations in the context of blind political polarization are seen as signs of political skill, and defined those who repeatedly engage in such behaviors as "irresponsible extremists," i.e., the "Mugeukpa." He concluded his remarks by saying, "In the end, justice will prevail in a society that operates rationally based on facts."

During the holiday period, President Lee also continuously announced government achievements and public welfare policies through SNS. On October 3, he shared a post by Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-geun, emphasizing that "normalizing an economy that was shrinking was urgently needed to resolve livelihood issues." He assessed that "the normalization of the economy is producing considerable achievements." Minister Park introduced that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) had raised its projection for South Korea's economic growth rate this year from 2.6 percent to 3.7 percent—the largest upward adjustment among the G20 countries. He also noted that the normal progress rate for state tasks in the field of the innovation economy has reached 98 percent.

On the same day, President Lee highlighted that relevant legal groundwork has been established so that qualified individuals do not miss out on welfare benefits such as child allowance and parental pay simply because they did not apply. He stated, "We will lower the threshold for welfare so that no one misses out on necessary support merely because they are unaware or unable to apply."

President Lee Jae-myung is listening to Song Hyung-geun, the local facilities officer of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, presenting an excellent case of civil complaint resolution at the Civil Complaint Innovation Case Report Meeting held in Sejong Special Self-Governing City on October 2, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

He also directly promoted the second round of enrollment for the 'Youth Future Savings' program, which supports young people's asset accumulation. On October 4, President Lee announced that applications for the second round would open on October 7, pledging, "The government will support young people in steadily preparing for their futures." He explained that while the criteria for this round include a maximum of 200 percent of the median household income, from next year onward, eligibility will be expanded to include all young people.

In addition, he shared a post highlighting that South Korea recorded the lowest rate of oil price increase among major economies from January to September this year, expressing appreciation for policy cooperation by oil refiners and gas stations. Regarding the recovery of assets linked to pro-Japanese collaborators, he added, "Even if it means expanding personnel, budgets, and organizational capacity, we will ensure the thorough recovery of pro-Japanese assets."

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