President Lee Criticized as "Arrogant Ruler" as Ruling Bloc Fires Back Calling Rhyu Si-min a "Shaman"

[Anchor]

Writer Rhyu Si-min, a prominent commentator close to the broader ruling bloc, has leveled harsh criticism against President Lee Jae-myung and the ruling party. The ruling bloc reacted with fury, claiming his remarks crossed the line.

Reporter Kim Kwan-jin has the details.

[Reporter]

Having dropped controversial topics into the broader ruling bloc since March, starting with the "ABC Theory," followed by the "Reconstruction Theory" and the "Sure Defeat Theory," writer Rhyu Si-min launched a fierce onslaught against President Lee using direct language this time.

[Rhyu Si-min / Writer (Last night, YouTube channel "Chang In-soo's Journalist"): I think the image the president has shown over the past year is that of a ruler, and an 'arrogant ruler' at that.]

Rhyu claimed that he believed President Lee needed authority rather than power to become an instrument of history, but either he misjudged the man or the president changed after seizing power.

He also criticized the Democratic Party, citing a former presidential secretary embroiled in the "personnel favor text message" controversy, accusing President Lee of attempting to place the party under his own influence.

[Rhyu Si-min / Writer (Last night, YouTube channel "Chang In-soo's Journalist"): The moment he resigns and walks out, they make him party spokesperson and hand him a strategic nomination in the local elections. A party that does that is 'losing its mind'.]

The Democratic Party's national convention was also brought under fire.

[Rhyu Si-min / Writer (Last night, YouTube channel "Chang In-soo's Journalist"): For the president to 'pick' and insert the ruling party's leader to get them elected is moving toward a monarchy or an aristocracy.]

Commenting on the election of three pro-President Lee faction candidates in the supreme council race and the defeat of one of President Lee's closest aides, he remarked, "The Democratic Party is much better than I thought."

An outpouring of criticism came from the ruling bloc, stating that Rhyu had gone far beyond the line.

Five-term lawmaker Park Ji-won lashed out, saying, "If you are trying to shake the president and help forces of internal rebellion seize power, come out of the closet and go that way." Pro-Lee freshman lawmaker Jung Jin-uk launched a direct attack, calling him "a venomous prophet of doom, Rhyu Si-min is a shaman, not a writer."

Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-keun wrote on social media, "How can you spit in a well just because you don't like the well we dug together?"

While Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok is initiating moves to consolidate the broader ruling bloc by launching internal party organizations, internal friction within the bloc appears to be widening further due to the fallout from Rhyu's remarks.

(Video footage acquired by: Oh Young-chun, Kim Yong-woo | Video edited by: Oh Young-taek | Design: Hwang Se-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.