Capture of President Lee Jae-myung’s X post
President Lee Jae-myung, on a state visit to Italy, said Friday that the passion of the ruling Democratic Party “must be directed at the entire nation, not ‘our faction.'” Even during his European tour, he posted a lengthy message of about 1,600 characters on social media, interpreted as urging the party to accept the local election results and “cooperate in state affairs as befits a ruling party.”
On X, formerly Twitter, the president stressed that the party “must play the role of a large vessel that mediates conflict and minimizes backlash through constant dialogue and communication, rather than confrontation and exclusion.” In effect, he called for a change in the party’s overall direction and a shift in leadership, while appealing for the consolidation of the ruling party’s support base.
In a post titled “The Ruling Party, the Opposition, and Political Responsibility,” the president wrote that “the ruling party has already succeeded in taking power and can realize its values and beliefs through action rather than assertion with the official authority granted to it, but in return it must bear full responsibility for the nation’s future and the lives of all citizens, and pursue re-election through achievements proven by results.” He added that “for the opposition, monitoring, checking, and attacking the ruling party and the government are important, but for the ruling party, what matters is the ability and track record to take responsibility with the power granted to it, as well as inclusiveness and integration.”
Citing the German philosopher Max Weber, he also mentioned three qualities of a politician. The president listed point by point “passion for a great cause rather than self-interest,” “an infinite sense of responsibility for the consequences of one’s actions,” and “a sense of balance between reality and ideals.” In particular, regarding “responsibility,” he raised his voice, saying, “It is said that for a politician, an ‘ethic of responsibility’ that predicts and takes responsibility for results is more important than an ‘ethic of conviction’ that puts good intentions first and disregards the results.” On “a sense of balance,” he said, “The words of Kim Dae-jung, who advocated the harmony between the critical awareness of a scholar and the practical sense of a merchant, would carry the same meaning.”
The president went on to write, “A realist without ideals becomes an opportunist chasing only immediate gains, while an idealist without reality becomes an incompetent demagogue focused on dividing sides without solutions.”
The president further stressed, “If politics ignores the constraints of reality and the limits of human nature and clings only to ideals, it falls into self-righteousness and factionalism, and if it loses its ideals, it degenerates into mere maintenance of power.” He reiterated, “To change reality, one must not forget values and aspirations, but paradoxically, a sense of balance that views reality coolly is essential.”
The president said, “It is my belief that if the opposition is closer to an army, a spear, the ruling party is closer to farming and a vessel.” He emphasized, “That is why the ruling party, without abandoning its convictions, must focus more on the ‘language of responsibility’ than the language of conviction. The opposition can shout ideals and convictions, deny its rivals, and cling to struggle, but the ruling party has a responsibility to break through obstacles and interference, solve the real problems of the people’s livelihoods, and prove itself through results.”
Finally, the president said, “Right now, the fate of this country and the lives of 52 million citizens rest in our hands,” adding, “Let us look bigger, wider, and farther, and go forward together with more of our people.” He also added, “If something had been occupied through war, exclusion and monopoly would not be strange, but if one has won through competition with the strength of a part and come to represent the whole, inclusiveness and openness for all are now essential.”