Lee Jae-myung Targets Lee Nak-yeon: "Dirty Trick Politics Cannot Win"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seoyoung Kwon] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province and a candidate in the Democratic Party's presidential primary, indirectly criticized former party leader Lee Nak-yeon.

On the 17th, Lee posted on his Facebook titled "To my comrades: Despicable trick politics cannot defeat our dreams." He said, "The Democratic Party primary is heating up prematurely. Distortions and lies against us are rampant," adding, "The election battlefield, filled with sarcasm and slander, is already becoming chaotic. I fully understand how you comrades must be feeling right now."

He emphasized, "Nevertheless, there is something we must not forget," stating, "The Democratic Party primary should be a competition for victory in the general election. Internal competition must not lead to division." He also added, "I have never considered other candidates as enemies," and "We are all Democrats competing internally in a comradely relationship." Lee continued, "(Among primary candidates) we must actively express our positions, convey facts, and engage in rebuttals and criticism," and "We must never engage in fabrication, distortion, slander, insults, or defamation."

This is interpreted as a remark conscious of the recent clashes between Lee and former leader Lee Nak-yeon. Previously, Lee Nak-yeon's camp criticized Lee Jae-myung's wife Kim Hye-kyung's private allegations by comparing them to their cautious stance on verifying Kim Geon-hee, wife of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, calling Lee "Julie’s bodyguard." In response, Lee Jae-myung's side rebutted by telling Lee Nak-yeon to "look around your own surroundings first."

Lee raised his voice, saying, "What use is it if whoever becomes the Democratic Party's presidential candidate ends up bloodied and battered before even the general election?" and "If it is done that way, they are not comrades." He also concluded his post by repeatedly emphasizing, "Let us compete with dignity and not engage in despicable 'trick politics,'" and "Our noble dream is not so lowly as to be stained by mere negative mudslinging."

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