Former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo [Yonhap]
Former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo [Yonhap]

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo took aim at President Lee Jae Myung, saying his "impulsive social media emotion politics, increasingly resembling Donald Trump's style, has crossed the line."

Hong made the remarks in a Facebook post Thursday, criticizing the Lee administration and saying "pressure on the judiciary has recently gone too far."

"There is a saying that excess is as bad as deficiency," Hong said. "If this goes any further, it will become dangerous."

Hong also pointed to the Republican Party's heavy losses in the US midterm elections, calling it "an expression of the American people's will to check Trump's one-man rule."

He added that the midterms had "confirmed the self-evident logic that absolute power corrupts absolutely," and said "Trump-style one-man politics is no longer possible."

Lee: 'People live on social media too, that's my view'

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

Meanwhile, President Lee pushed back against criticism of his social media use in a YouTube conversation program titled "President's Y," released Thursday afternoon, saying, "Some people claim they are 'trapped in an algorithm' — I am not."

When asked about calls from those around him to cut back on social media, Lee acknowledged there was "some merit" to the suggestion, but countered that it sounded to him "exactly like asking why the president goes out to meet people in person."

"People live on social media too — that is my view," Lee said. "They are also citizens of South Korea, and I often get ideas from there."

On the possibility that frequent social media activity could stir controversy, Lee said, "Policy naturally requires debate because people hold different positions. Controversy is not a bad thing."

Lee added that the more power one holds, the more people around them tend to say only positive things. "I am grateful to those who speak frankly," he said. "That is why I read a lot of comments on Twitter — X — as well. I see insults and criticism too."


yul@heraldcorp.com