Again Taking Aim at Ruling Camp Hardliners? ... Lee: "When Demands for Top Posts Go Unmet, They Attack from Within in the Name of Radical Reform"

Cites Cho Hee-yeon's column "When Hatred of the Enemy Turns Toward Comrades" to deliver sharp criticism

Targets attempts to influence appointments and national policy, beyond "pure radicalism"

Escalates warning over "private interests" amid

President Lee Jae Myung criticized hard-line reform advocates within the ruling bloc on Oct. 9, saying, "The bigger problem is people who demand top posts despite lacking the ability, try to make appointments and national policies conform to their wishes, and, when they fail, invoke radical reform as a noble cause to attack their own side." His remarks raised the concern that some figures who failed to gain influence over appointments and government affairs are using reform as a pretext to stoke internal conflict, rather than merely disagreeing over the pace or direction of reform. They appear to show more clearly that Lee believes private interests lie behind the clashes with some members of the broader ruling camp over recent prosecution reform and senior appointments.

President Lee Jae Myung delivers closing remarks at a public briefing on the Korean Green Transformation (K-GX) strategy held at a conference venue in Seoul on Oct. 7, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

That day, Lee shared on X (formerly Twitter) part of a column published the previous day by Cho Hee-yeon, former superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, titled "When Hatred of the Enemy Turns Toward Comrades." He began by saying, "Pure radicalism may also be a problem," before making the remarks.

In the column, Cho looked back at conflicts within the pro-democracy movement and progressive camp, observing that a paradox arises when the purity of reform hardens into an absolute belief and turns comrades into enemies. He warned against a phenomenon in which internal criticism intended to advance reform eventually becomes an end in itself: attacking one's own comrades.

Cho also pointed out that, as people who once engaged in sacrificial struggles gain power, the interests of individuals and groups can come into play, and the cause of reform can be corrupted into a tool for advancing one's own political agenda.

Lee quoted the passage on the clash between the purity of reform and the interests of power. However, while Cho focused on the absolutization of beliefs about reform and hostility within the political camp, Lee went further, identifying political ambition and attempts to influence appointments and policy as causes of conflict.

Notable in Lee's remarks are the phrases "demand top posts" and "make appointments and even national policies conform to their wishes." He was not simply criticizing figures with differing reform agendas; he expressed the view that some demand public office and authority, then attack their own side in the name of reform when they do not get their way. His remarks can also be interpreted as a message that he intends to distinguish the legitimacy of reform from the political motives of those advocating it.

The remarks appear to be connected to tensions within the broader ruling camp over the appointment of Kim Ji-yong as the first head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. Lee approved the request for a confirmation hearing for Kim on Oct. 1 and submitted it to the National Assembly the following day. However, some in the ruling camp have objected, citing Kim's past record and his suitability to lead reform.

On Oct. 4, Lee warned those who engage in baseless agitation, calling them "irresponsible extremists" (Mugeukpa). He was suggesting that selfishness in trying to claim reform achievements for oneself could manifest in extreme arguments.

On Oct. 5, he narrowed his criticism to appointments and investigative and prosecutorial work. Lee said, "Prosecution reform is for the people, not to create a political legacy for certain individuals," adding, "No one should use prosecution reform as a pretext to let personal interests dictate appointments or specific investigations and prosecution work."

Whereas Lee's earlier messages were principled warnings against appropriating the achievements of reform or interfering in appointments, this time he also cited a specific motive: dissatisfaction over demands for senior posts going unmet, leading to attacks from within. However, Lee did not identify who had demanded a "top post" or which appointments or policies they had tried to influence. It is therefore difficult to conclude that his remarks were a direct reference to any particular politician or group.

The message shows that tensions over the direction of reform within the ruling camp are expanding into questions of authority, responsibility, and appointment powers. Lee has emphasized that the cause of reform cannot justify private influence over appointments or the running of government. However, hard-line advocates may still argue that criticism of the effectiveness of reform and the suitability of appointees could be dismissed as being driven by personal interests.

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