Lee Jae-myung "Please Stop the Criticism"... Urges Strong Supporters to Exercise Restraint

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, urged his supporters on the 23rd to refrain from excessive attacks, saying, "If you attack the opponent in a humiliating way or criticize by suppressing their expression of opinion, it becomes difficult to have a debate."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th. 2025.2.19 Photo by Kim Hyun-min

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On the same day, Lee posted on his social media (SNS) under the title "Supporters, please stop the criticism," stating, "Through the power of diversity that embraces opposing opinions, we can advance to a better world and a new country."

Lee said, "If there are factual errors in the opponent's claims, we should refute them and debate with courtesy and dignity," but he also emphasized that "in the end, who would be happiest if family members who will live together slander each other," warning against overheated slander.

He added, "Even in monarchies, 'censors' who oppose the monarch's opinions were deliberately appointed, and companies form 'red teams' for organizational development," and stressed, "We must remember that a quiet forest is only a burnt forest, and a quiet river is only a river trapped behind a dam and rotting. In political parties, which are products of democracy, debate should naturally be encouraged."

He particularly urged, "Now, it is an urgent and important task for all forces defending the constitution against its destruction to unite and overcome the crisis," and called for "joining forces to completely end the internal strife and restore people's livelihoods."

This message is interpreted as a warning that if Lee's strong supporters attack non-Lee factions amid the ongoing identity dispute within the party over his 'moderate conservative theory,' it could escalate into factional conflict.

Meanwhile, regarding the 'identity dispute' that surfaced within the party on the same day, Lee said, "Progressivism and conservatism are relative depending on the times," and added, "By Western advanced country standards, as intellectuals like Kim Dae-jung, Moon Jae-in, and Lee Hae-chan have pointed out, the Democratic Party is a conservative party or close to one."

He continued, "Currently, the People Power Party, a reactionary party that falsely claims conservatism, has embraced Yoon Seok-youl and Jeon Kwang-hoon, revealing its far-right nature, abandoning even the facade of conservatism, and heading down the path of an extreme right-wing criminal party," and criticized, "It cannot be 'conservatism' to oppose the impeachment of the ringleader of the internal strife who tried to establish permanent military rule by destroying the country and killing thousands of citizens, and to protect the constitutional destruction forces that violently seized the courts."

Lee emphasized, "The Democratic Party has originally been a centrist party, playing a more progressive centrist role when progressiveness is more important in the times, and a more moderate conservative role when conservatism is more important," and added, "Now, due to the People Power Party's 'far-right clique,' the Democratic Party's responsibility and role have simply increased."

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