President Lee Jae-myung expressed his dissatisfaction with media coverage on social media from the evening of October 27 to the morning of October 28, claiming that his comments were distorted and taken out of context.
He demanded corrections and an apology regarding articles related to foreign workers and criticized reports suggesting he shifted responsibility for a land survey to Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung, questioning the media's adherence to basic journalistic ethics. He also labeled some extreme claims surrounding prosecutorial reform as "irresponsible extremism."
During a cabinet meeting the previous day, President Lee clarified his remarks about foreign workers, stating, "Given the serious unemployment issue in our country, we need to focus on increasing domestic employment through job support rather than relying on foreign workers, which would contribute more significantly to our economy."
In the cabinet meeting, while discussing plans to expand public jobs, he remarked, "We need to support agriculture, forestry, livestock, and fisheries. Bringing in foreign workers does not significantly benefit the national economy, as they send all their wages back home."
Following a report by Hankyoreh titled, "'Foreign Workers Do Not Help the National Economy'... Criticism of President Lee's Remarks Floods In," President Lee directly addressed the issue.
He countered, "When considering the contributions to solving job issues or stimulating consumption, foreign workers who remit money abroad do help the domestic economy, but not 'significantly' compared to domestic workers. Therefore, we should explore ways to increase domestic employment through wage support."
President Lee emphasized the difference between saying foreign workers "do not help" and saying they "do not help significantly," pointing out discrepancies between the article's title and its content.
He expressed confidence that responsible media outlets would correct their articles and apologize, stating, "It is excessive to criticize based on the premise that foreign workers 'do not help' when the context clearly indicates they are less beneficial compared to domestic workers."
He also expressed discomfort with reports regarding the land survey, asserting, "While there may be backlash, the land survey is a core part of necessary agricultural reform and deserves praise."
President Lee clarified that while he directed the survey, it was Minister Song who suggested implementing it nationwide due to legal obligations. He stated, "Everyone knows that I directly instructed this in a public meeting; mentioning a proposer does not lessen the responsibility."
He criticized media outlets that accused him of shifting responsibility after revealing that the minister proposed the project, questioning whether they adhered to basic journalistic ethics in reporting his cabinet meeting remarks.
He remarked, "To distort facts while demanding that I refrain from direct communication with the public through social media is akin to telling someone to just accept being hit without resistance." He recalled a time when criticizing the president was seen as a national pastime.
Earlier, on October 26, during a meeting with farmers and fishermen, President Lee explained that he initially aimed to verify the usage of land near the metropolitan area for speculative purposes, but Minister Song proposed conducting a nationwide land survey.
Some media and opposition parties criticized President Lee for allegedly shifting responsibility to the minister, citing his earlier directive for a comprehensive survey during a cabinet meeting in February.
President Lee also responded to criticisms regarding prosecutorial reform. In response to a post from a user on X who demanded an apology for labeling critics as "extremists," he stated, "There are those who genuinely advocate for prosecutorial reform for the nation and its people, and others who, driven by hidden political or personal motives, engage in excessive rhetoric that effectively hinders real reform."
He pointed out, "Some individuals exploit the urgent reform desires of the public, inciting fears of reform failure while attacking true reform allies with an all-or-nothing approach, which is irresponsible extremism."
President Lee advised, "If you do not belong to that group, there is no reason to feel upset. If you do feel that way, I encourage you to reflect on it. I hope any misunderstandings are resolved."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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