President Lee Jae-myung has sparked controversy by using the online neologism '좌아하게' (meaning 'left elegantly'), which replaces the character for 'right' with 'left.' Critics argue that the president's choice of words is inappropriate, especially on National Armed Forces Day, a time when national unity should be emphasized.
On this day, President Lee quoted a post from supporters summarizing the government's achievements, stating, 'Please join us. It means to speak left elegantly.'
In response, a progressive online community saw a surge of negative posts regarding the term '좌아하게.' One user traced the term's origins, noting, 'I found examples of its use in the New Lee Jae-myung gallery on DC Inside. It appears that the term 'Choco 좌아체' is trending there.'
The user continued, 'I was curious about what 'Choco' meant, and it turns out it refers to Representative Kim Min-seok. I couldn't find many examples of '좌아하게' on its own, but when I searched for it alongside 'Choco,' I found a lot more results.' They concluded, 'It seems that the president used a term promoted by Representative Kim Min-seok. While it doesn't appear to be a term from Ilbe, using a neologism that is popular among a specific group of supporters in a public forum may not resonate with the broader public.'
Other users also expressed critical views of the president's choice of words. One user remarked, 'On National Armed Forces Day, the best the president can do on social media is to engage in left-right division.' Another user commented, 'This '좌아하게' is something even Lee Jun-seok wouldn't use. Isn't it childish? The president is acting in a way that is immature for someone in his position.'
This user added, 'The president should represent the nation and all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, and implement policies that benefit everyone. It's quite a sight to see.' Another user noted, 'Just a day after holding a press conference, he retweeted something and then deleted it. He declared he would continue using social media, and now we have this incident. I genuinely think President Lee's social media activity is reaching a dangerous level.'
They added, 'I'm not saying he shouldn't do it, but I hope he can be a bit more cautious.'
Conversely, some supporters viewed the president's use of the term as a way to connect with his base, expressing a sense of familiarity with the language used among supporters.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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