President Lee: "Blocking Abusive Accounts Is Natural" ... Rebuts Criticism over 'Jwa-Ah-Hage'

President Lee Jae-myung stated, "Accounts that throw filth and disrupt the public forum must be blocked so that a sound public forum can be maintained."

President Lee wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, "It is only natural to kick out ruffians who barge into someone else's yard hurling verbal abuse and profanity."

His remarks are interpreted as a rebuttal to criticism from some quarters over his blocking of users who posted harsh, critical comments on social media.

In connection with this, President Lee shared an anecdote from the past, saying, "I am reminded of the late Mayor Park Won-soon."

Referring to the former Seoul mayor, President Lee noted, "He was an outstanding 'idea man' who always emphasized and enjoyed communicating with citizens," adding, "He was someone who opened my eyes to the importance of communication and social media as its instrument."

President Lee recalled that when he met the former mayor one day, Park was distressed that his social media accounts were flooded with abusive and profane comments, yet agonized over the situation, saying, "I cannot block people when I advocate communication."

In response, President Lee said he advised Mayor Park, "Spraying filth with verbal abuse, profanity, and sarcasm on a platform for communication is not communication, but disruption of communication. Blocking such filth actually enables genuine communication. I not only block them whenever I see them, but I also report them in severe cases."

He added, "Afterward, I understand former Mayor Park also blocked and cleaned up malicious accounts."

He continued, "Of course, I do not block people just for expressing opposing opinions or offering criticism," writing, "Opinions delivered with dignity and courtesy—whether elegantly ('u-ah-hage') or left-gantly ('jwa-ah-hage')—are always welcome."

"Jwa-ah-hage" is internet slang that replaces the "u" (which phonetically sounds like the character for 'right' in Korean) in the word "u-ah-hage" (elegantly) with "jwa" (left). President Lee's recent use of the word on social media drew backlash, primarily from the conservative opposition, which criticized it as "language that only caters to one political faction."

President Lee also pushed back against this criticism, stating, "The term 'jwa-ah-hage' is not something used on Ilbe, but a phrase used in the democratic-reform camp since the administration of President Moon Jae-in," adding, "It is simply a playful pun twisting the word 'u-ah-hage.'"

He also expressed regret, saying, "Although this is a harsh and busy world, I hope people can occasionally take a breather to look up at the clear sky, observe their surroundings, and enjoy wit, humor, and playfulness," adding, "While gravity, seriousness, and authority are important virtues, we should also guard against 'excessive seriousness' that treats a drama like a documentary."

In a subsequent post on X, President Lee pointed out, "It is difficult for someone who lived their entire life in luxury as a high-ranking official without hardship, thanks to their parents, to understand the exhausting lives and perceptions of ordinary citizens."

He also criticized, "Can those who enjoy all kinds of luxuries on the blood and sweat of ordinary taxpayers, yet are harsher toward vulnerable citizens and slash small-scale welfare budgets without hesitation, ever understand the feelings of people who swallow their spit because they lack a few thousand won to buy fruit, who starve while agonizing over tens of thousands of won, or who contemplate ending their lives while holding their families?"

He added, "State administration, public governance, and politics mean constantly looking into the back alleys of real life and caring for those in the lowest, most difficult corners of this world," noting, "Those in power must realize that innocent lives can be cut down by the blade they carelessly wield."

President Lee did not specify in the post whom he was referring to by "those in power who carelessly wield a blade."

However, given his mention of "slashing small-scale welfare budgets," some speculate that he may have had in mind Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, who has been clashing with the provincial council after drastically cutting budgets, including livelihood programs, citing a fiscal crisis.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.