President responds indirectly to criticism over prosecution reform and senior appointments, saying reform 'must be delicate'

President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a senior secretaries meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a senior secretaries meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung said Saturday that "radical agitation aimed at displaying one's own ideological purity" must be guarded against, warning that such behavior provokes resistance and backlash that ultimately obstructs reform.

Lee shared a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account by Park Tae-hun, director of the Youth Today Research Institute, writing that "there is not a single word I disagree with." Park, a former deputy spokesperson for the Progressive Party, had criticized voices within the progressive camp demanding more aggressive reform from Lee, noting that hardline prosecution-reform advocates were silent on what he called "prosecution cabinet politics" — attacks targeting Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won.

"I have never, for even a moment, abandoned the goals and values of reform," Lee said. "Reform is harder than revolution. History is full of tragic cases where the passion and speed of revolution went unchecked, leading to excess and recklessness that brought about the misfortune of counter-revolution."

He added that "reform must be delicate and procedural, built on the broadest possible consensus, and must prove itself through tangible results while minimizing pain and resistance." He also said that "those who hold power must bear unlimited responsibility commensurate with that authority."

Lee also said that "in the course of positive change — that is, reform — those who lose their privileges resist loudly and suffer greatly, while those who benefit respond with far less enthusiasm," adding that "the greatest obstacle to reform is using the name of reform to obstruct reform itself."

The remarks were widely seen as a response to growing pushback within the ruling camp and the broader progressive bloc, where critics have accused the administration of retreating on key prosecution reform measures — including a proposed reorganization of the public prosecution service and the appointment of a director for the new Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. The comments were also interpreted as Lee's effort to reaffirm his commitment to completing reform amid shifting approval ratings, while seeking to rein in internal divisions and emphasize a measured pace and practical results.


hwshin@heraldcorp.com