Brief post sparks wide speculation over intended target; Lee defends water supply in South Jeolla; says Samsung and SK hynix 'not foolish enough' to plan without due diligence; some see remarks as aimed at writer Yoo Si-min

President Lee Jae Myung. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday offered a cryptic remark, saying, "A Buddha sees a Buddha, and a pig sees only a pig."

Lee posted the comment on X, formerly Twitter, that morning, writing that "people often assume others think and act the same way they do."

Because he offered no context or named target, the brief post has prompted a wide range of interpretations.

The post appeared just five minutes after Lee shared a news article about plans to tap agricultural water reserves to address concerns over water shortages at the planned Gwangju-South Jeolla Province semiconductor cluster, adding that "Honam has just as much water as Yeongnam or the Greater Seoul area." The timing has led many to read the remark as a rebuttal to criticism — largely from opposition circles — of investment in the Honam semiconductor cluster.

In the earlier post, Lee said that "for decades, Honam was managed at the level of an agricultural region for the political purpose of divide-and-rule, with water resources left largely untapped beyond what was needed to meet agricultural supply needs." He added that studies showed industrial water supply of up to 1 million tons per day was achievable if management systems were upgraded and water resources properly allocated and managed to meet the needs of an advanced city.

He went on to say that "the government does not encourage building factories in areas without water."

Lee said Samsung and SK hynix — which compete for the top two spots globally in semiconductors — "are not foolish enough to plan the establishment of massive factories in a region with insufficient water, an essential element of semiconductor production, without conducting due diligence." He asked for "understanding and cooperation, beyond political positions, on balanced regional development and nationwide coexistence policy, on which the fate of the Republic of Korea depends."

As the posts drew varied interpretations, a Cheong Wa Dae official said in a notice that "the posts President Lee put on social media this morning are principled in nature," adding "for reference, they also reflect his concern over the spread of unfounded speculation and false claims regarding companies' concentrated investment in the regions."

Debate over the true intent of the remarks continues in political circles.

There is also speculation that the posts are connected to comments made by writer Yoo Si-min, who appeared on the YouTube program "Kim Eojun's Dassboeida" in a broadcast released the previous night.

On the program, Yoo said that "what the people who passionately supported and cheered on Lee Jae Myung through the process of becoming president wanted was an extension, but President Lee seems to have intended a reconstruction," adding that "to carry out a reconstruction, you need the consent of the existing residents."

He compared some political commentators to "demolition contractors," saying they had "attacked the healthy cells of the democratic reform camp."


sang@heraldcorp.com