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South Korea's Lee denies harassing ex-party leader Chung, calls him a comrade
Version 2: Additional outlets add detail on the ruling party's internal friction over the major crimes investigation agency nomination and on reactions to the president's public reply, while the core exchange between Lee and Chung is unchanged.
In short
President Lee Jae-myung said in an Oct. 3 post on X that he did not harass former Democratic Party leader Chung Cheong-rae, calling him a comrade who came through “the night of insurrection.” Lee was answering a social media comment urging him to stop “harassing” Chung after the two had a four-hour dinner at the presidential office on Oct. 1. Chung responded on Facebook that he was not treated poorly and called for unity, saying “let's unite four presidents and go together.”
Why it matters
The exchange put the ruling Democratic Party's factional split back in public view, at a time when the documents say the party has been divided over the nomination of Kim Ji-yong to head a major crimes investigation agency. Both Lee and Chung publicly framed the dinner as constructive and urged unity, while one outlet reported that a party official questioned the president's practice of answering individual social media critics.
Key facts
- President Lee Jae-myung said in an Oct. 3 post on X that he and former Democratic Party leader Chung Cheong-rae are comrades who came through “the night of insurrection,” and that he did not harass Chung. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Lee said Chung had asked to meet often after the party convention, and that the dinner followed his return from attending the UN General Assembly and a trip to Mexico. [ 2 , 3 ]
- According to Hankook Ilbo, Lee's post answered a comment urging him to stop “harassing” Chung and calling it “too cruel” to invite him after a group pile-on; Kyunghyang Shinmun described the writer as a user of X. [ 1 , 5 ]
- Chung responded on social media by citing the “comrade” description and calling for unity, saying “let's unite four presidents and go together” and “uniting should be our slogan.” [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Chung also said he had a good, constructive meeting, had not been treated poorly, and that “we must unite”; Kyunghyang Shinmun said the posts were made on Oct. 2. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The dinner was held at the presidential office on Oct. 1, lasted about four hours and was attended by presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik. [ 1 , 5 ]
- Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said the two discussed various state affairs and party matters and formed a deep consensus. [ 1 , 5 ]
- Chung was hospitalized last month over worsening health and Lee telephoned him to wish him recovery; Chung had clashed with pro-Lee figures, including party leader Kim Min-seok, over party lines during the Aug. 17 convention. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Lee Jae-myung and Chung Cheong-rae held a dinner meeting at the presidential office on Oct. 1. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Lee said in an Oct. 3 X post that he and Chung are comrades who came through “the night of insurrection,” and denied harassing him. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Lee's post was a response to a social media comment urging him to stop “harassing” Chung. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Chung responded on social media, citing the “comrade” description and calling for unity. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Chung was hospitalized last month over worsening health and received a phone call from Lee wishing him recovery. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Chung was a contender in the Aug. 17 party convention, where pro-Chung and pro-Lee factions clashed over party lines. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The dinner was attended by presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik. [ 1 , 5 ]
- Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said the two held a four-hour conversation and formed a deep consensus. [ 1 , 5 ]
- Lee said the dinner took place after he returned from the UN General Assembly and a trip to Mexico. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the dinner was intended to placate the party's hardline faction or was an internal unity move. Hankook Ilbo described the dinner as placating the party's hardline faction, while SBS News and Kyunghyang Shinmun described it as a step for ruling-camp unity; all framed it as interpretation.
- What was discussed during the roughly four-hour dinner beyond “various state affairs and party matters.” Only the senior presidential spokesperson's summary is reported, and it gives no specifics.
- Whether the public exchange ends the factional tensions inside the Democratic Party. The documents describe past conflict over party lines and the Kim Ji-yong nomination but do not say whether it has been resolved.
- Whether the person whose post Lee answered is a ruling-camp supporter or a general internet user. Hankook Ilbo called the writer a ruling-camp supporter, SBS News and Asia Economy called the person a netizen, and Kyunghyang Shinmun called the person an X user.
What local media are saying
Business mediaAll six outlets in the documents are business-type newsrooms and treated the story as a political exchange reported through official statements and social media posts, leading with Lee's denial and the “comrade” line, then adding Chung's Facebook response, the Oct. 1 dinner and party factional background. Kyunghyang Shinmun added party reaction and criticism of Lee replying to individual social media users, Kukmin Ilbo framed it as Lee resuming “X politics,” and Chosun Ilbo highlighted his line “why not try to see things from a correct perspective?”
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Timeline, local time
- Oct. 3: Hankook Ilbo publishes a report on President Lee's X post denying he harassed Chung Cheong-rae and stressing that the two are comrades. [ 1 ]
- Oct. 3: SBS News reports Lee's post together with Chung's Facebook response calling for unity among supporters of four presidents. [ 2 ]
- Oct. 3: Asia Economy publishes a combined report on Lee's explanation and Chung's response. [ 3 ]
- Oct. 4: Kukmin Ilbo reports that Lee has resumed “X politics,” quoting his line that Chung is a comrade who fought the insurrection together. [ 4 ]
- Oct. 4: Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the dinner as a ruling-camp unity move, adding party reaction including criticism of Lee answering individual social media users. [ 5 ]
- Oct. 5: Chosun Ilbo highlights Lee's line “why not try to see things from a correct perspective?” [ 6 ]