From Lee Jae-myung's Own Mouth, Jang Dong-hyuk Attacks Lee Jae-myung

A remark made by President Lee Jae-myung to criticize hardliners within the ruling party has been directly turned against the president by People Power Party Chairman Jang Dong-hyuk.

According to political circles on October 10th, Chairman Jang wrote on his Facebook on October 9th, "President Lee Jae-myung posted as if with firm resolve. Is this a reflection?"

After the president issued strong criticism toward the ruling party, Chairman Jang turned the remarks back on the president himself.

Referencing Ha Dong-keun, former director of the Pangyo Ecological Learning Center who was appointed as president of Korea District Heating Corporation, Chairman Jang asserted, "Ha Dong-keun of the 'Seongnam line' who ranked last in both documentary and interview screening is now sitting in a position as director of an organization with an annual salary of 244 million won. His biggest achievement is officiating Kim Hyun-ji's wedding," and questioned, "Is it okay to put incompetent people in big positions?"

He connected the criticism President Lee raised—"demanding big positions despite lacking competence"—to the current administration's public institution personnel appointments.

Chairman Jang expanded his criticism beyond personnel issues to the style of state affairs management.

He said, "With real estate becoming hell, comprehensive investigation of farmland, and pushing everything according to the president's will, only citizens suffered damage. And then claiming it as 'reform' while attacking citizens as devils—isn't this the real problem?" he asked.

He continued, "President Lee Jae-myung, put your hand on your heart and think about it. Who is the one sitting in a big position without competence and pushing state policies according to his own will?"

He effectively appropriated the president's own expressions—"competence," "big position," "state policies," and "reform"—and redirected the criticism toward the president.

Earlier that day, President Lee wrote on his SNS, "Pure radicalism is problematic, but more problematic is when people lacking competence demand big positions and, when failing to execute personnel appointments or state policies according to their own will, use grand principles to push radical reform and attack internally."

While not directly naming specific individuals, political interpretation suggested the remarks targeted hardliners within the ruling party who have recently taken a confrontational stance against the government over the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as candidate for head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Division and the direction of prosecutorial reform.

Notably, this exchange drew attention because President Lee's remarks were aimed not at the opposition party or conservative forces, but at those within his own party.

The president's criticism made amid internal conflict has instead been used by the opposition party leader as material to attack the current administration's personnel appointments and state governance.

As the president's criticism directed at the ruling party leads to the opposition's counterattack, the controversy surrounding prosecutorial reform and personnel issues is developing into an inter-party exchange of attacks.