[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung posted a message on social media, referring to his supporters as "the president's friends" and stating that a rough attitude does not help reform and unity. He urged them to refrain from using derogatory terms and hate speech that incite division.

Reporter Kang Min-u reports.

[Reporter]

On the night of September 19, President Lee Jae-myung posted a message titled "The President's Friends" on social media.

Addressing his supporters, he wrote, "I hope you act with the mindset that you yourselves are the president," adding, "The rough attitude of 'the president's friends' does not expand support and empathy, but rather becomes an excuse to criticize the president."

He emphasized that fueling conflicts through derogatory terms and hatred reduces allies and increases enemies, ultimately failing to aid reform and unity while only raising obstacles.

President Lee also noted that the situation was regrettable and unfortunate after he quoted a supporter's post on social media on Friday night of last week, but deleted it when controversy arose over the supporter's past history of using derogatory terms.

President Lee explained that while he cannot check every past post and expression, quoting the text itself does not mean supporting or defending all arguments made by the author.

[Press Conference to the Nation, September 18: "It is truly regrettable that languages of hate are being exchanged. It is truly heartbreaking to see someone who dreamed of and acted for a better world singled out for exclusion, getting hurt and suffering."]

Cho Kuk, head of the Rebuilding Korea Party's Innovation Research Institute, stated, "In line with the intent of President Lee's post, I request politicians and citizens who claim to be pro-Lee to cease 'derogatory politics,'" while author Rhyu Si-min likened the derogatory name-calling issue to a "pebble in a shoe,"

[Author Rhyu Si-min / YouTube Video 'Tak Hyun-min's The Beautiful': "You have to take it (the pebble) out before moving forward. You have to take it out and shake it off, but it seems like people do not think a pebble got in and just stay there thinking, 'It's uncomfortable.'"]

arguing that President Lee did not diagnose it as it is.

(Video by Ha Ryung | Video Editing by Lee Seunghee | Graphics by Cho SOOIN)