Lee Revives "Structural Majority" Theory: "If We Unite Among Ourselves, We're a Structural Minority"

President Lee Holds Surprise Tea Gathering with Reporters
"We Must Broaden Support to Include Centrists and Reasonable Conservatives"... Dismisses Talk of Political Realignment
"Putting a Few Lawmakers Together Is 1980s-Style Politics

President Lee Jaemyung dismissed controversy over political realignment surrounding his "structural majority theory" on the 19th, calling it "completely without merit." He said that relying solely on unity among progressive and reform-minded groups would make stable governance difficult, and that the government needed to broaden its base of public support to include centrists and reasonable conservatives. He also emphasized national unity across political camps, saying, "The president is not an occupier."

President Lee Jaemyung speaks with reporters in the lobby of Chun Chugwan, the press corps' workspace at Cheong Wa Dae, on October 19, 2026. Yonhap News Agency.

"You become an occupier, not a president"... Dismisses Talk of Political Realignment

At a surprise coffee chat with reporters marking his 500th day in office at Chun Chugwan in Cheong Wa Dae that day, President Lee said, "The most important task of a president is to unite the country." He added, "If you focus too much on having become president as the representative of one side, you become an occupier, not a president." He continued, "We won, so excluding the other side and taking everything for ourselves is what occupation used to mean," stressing, "If you become the representative of the entire community through an election, it is your duty to represent everyone."

He explained, however, that national unity did not mean abandoning his political values or reform agenda. "It does not mean becoming lukewarm and sitting in the middle," President Lee said. "The representative's foremost task is to minimize conflict and confrontation among members of the community and help them move forward together."

He also offered a direct explanation of the "structural majority theory" he first presented in July. "The democratic reform camp is structurally a minority in terms of the balance of power," President Lee said, noting, "If we in the progressive and reform camp unite tightly among ourselves, the other side will unite all the way into the center."

He went on to say, "We need to create a political landscape that centrists and reasonable conservatives can also support," defining "a situation in which we have won that support" as a structural majority. His view is that the political camp needs to broaden its reach, since unity among the existing support base centered on the Democratic Party alone has its limits.

This was also a direct rebuttal to calls for political realignment raised by some within the ruling camp after he first publicly mentioned the need for a structural majority during a meeting with former President Moon Jae-in on July 1. At the time, some in political circles discussed the possibility of reorganizing political forces to include parts of the conservative camp.

"Taking a few lawmakers out and putting them together is political realignment in the style of the 1980s," President Lee said, asking, "Does gathering 100 members of the National Assembly mean you have gathered one-third of the people of the Republic of Korea?" He continued, "Ultimately, the people are the ones who do politics," stressing, "We need to broaden the political landscape so it can win the support of a majority of the people."

Resolve to Appoint Special Inspector... Signals Possible Adjustment to Pace of Reform

President Lee Jaemyung receives lunch at the cafeteria in Chun Chugwan, the Cheong Wa Dae press center, on Oct. 19, 2026. Yonhap News

On the appointment of a special inspector, President Lee expressed his determination to move ahead. He said he had "repeatedly called for the inspector to be appointed quickly," but explained that, after being told the opposition party objected, he felt reluctant to push it through unilaterally.

"Even so, I asked them to look into whether there is a way to do it," he said, adding, "I think we should do it anyway." He thus reiterated his intention to restore the proper functioning of inspections of the president's relatives and senior Cheong Wa Dae officials, regardless of the opposition's objections.

He also signaled a change in how reforms would be pursued. Citing the June 3 local elections as a turning point in governing, President Lee said, "There is some merit to the criticism that we are trying to do too much at once and that we may need to adjust the pace." He acknowledged that overlapping reforms could increase resistance and fatigue among those affected.

Opposition from hardliners in the ruling camp during the recent appointment of Kim Jiyong as the first head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency was another example of differences over the direction and implementation of reform. President Lee also acknowledged that he had not done enough to prepare for and persuade others during the reform process.

He maintained, however, that reforms would not be halted. "We will carry out the tasks our society must undertake at the appropriate time and through the appropriate methods and processes," President Lee stressed.

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