President Lee Jae-myung shared on social media a post by Jeong Min-cheol, vice chair of the policy committee of the Democratic Party of Korea. Jeong recently voiced criticism after former Roh Moo-hyun Foundation director Yoo Si-min targeted pro-Lee Jae-myung commentators as "juvenile law commentators." In political circles, some interpret President Lee's sharing of Jeong's post as an indirect criticism of the former director Yoo.
On the 28th, President Lee re-posted on X Jeong's message arguing that "those who call the May 18 democratization movement a riot should all be severely punished." On the surface, it can be seen as sharing the view that malicious distortions of the May 18 democratization movement must stop.
However, some in politics say President Lee threw his weight behind Vice Chair Jeong, who criticized former director Yoo. On the 26th, appearing on Kim Ou-joon's YouTube channel, Yoo said of pro-Lee commentators, "commentators whose level makes it hard to apply intellectual accountability for what we should be asking," and called them "juvenile law commentators." Of President Lee, Yoo also said, "seems overly confident."
Jeong, responding to Yoo's assessment, said, "Base and vulgar juvenile law commentator? I don't mind being called base. If that is the path to reach the silenced young people, Jeong Min-cheol will gladly become even baser," adding, "While you (former director Yoo) sit comfortably in a studio chair polishing a piece of commentary, I fight lies racing against every minute and every second."