President Lee Increases Engagement with Media on Social Media

President Lee Jae-myung has recently increased his activity on X (formerly Twitter) by directly quoting or sharing media reports. This approach not only raises concerns about the content of these reports but also serves as a platform to communicate his policy achievements, drawing renewed attention to his media engagement style.

On November 2, President Lee shared several videos and articles from various news outlets, adding his comments. He shared a YouTube video from Hankyoreh TV that claimed the outlet used footage that contradicted his statements, asking, "Why did this happen?" This is interpreted as a subtle critique of the broadcast.

Earlier, on October 27, he demanded corrections and an apology regarding a Hankyoreh article that covered his remarks about foreign workers. The day before, he questioned why there had been no verification or cross-checking regarding a JTBC report on the Korea-U.S. strategic investment memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Conversely, he has also actively shared opinions on articles related to policy achievements. On the same day, he shared a JoongAng Ilbo article titled "On the Brink of Becoming the Fourth Country to Achieve $1 Trillion in Exports," stating, "It’s not just semiconductor exports that have increased; 18 out of the top 20 export items have seen significant growth."

Previously, President Lee expressed that a Weekly Kyunghyang article covering basic income for rural areas was "very helpful for understanding the current situation" and indicated it would inform policy improvements.

Some observers believe that President Lee's direct sharing of media reports and posts helps convey policy-related facts quickly and fosters direct communication with the public. However, concerns have been raised that his repeated comments on individual reports could intimidate the media or create confusion within the official communication framework of the Blue House.