[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung has issued a message stating that the real problem lies in demanding high posts without the ability to back them up, and launching internal attacks under the guise of radical reform. While he did not single out anyone by name, his remarks are widely seen as targeting hardliners within the broader ruling bloc who are in conflict over the issue of prosecution reform.

Kang Cheongwan reports.

[Reporter]

On October 9, President Lee Jae-myung shared on social media a column by former Seoul Superintendent of Education Cho Hee-yeon that analyzed divisions within the ruling camp following the August 17 Democratic Party national convention. President Lee wrote, "Pure radicalism may be an issue, but what is more problematic is demanding high posts without having the ability, trying to influence personnel appointments and national policies to fit one's own will, and then, when things do not work out, using a just cause as an excuse to push radical reform and wage internal attacks."

He did not specify who had demanded positions despite lacking the ability or who had launched internal attacks.

Within the ruling camp, observers interpret the remarks as aimed at certain figures who have faced criticism for engaging in "internal firing" while pursuing their own political agendas around the August convention, or at hardliners on prosecution reform who opposed the appointment of Kim Ji-yong, nominee for head of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, framing him as a "pro-Yoon prosecutor."

President Lee previously stated on October 4 and 5 that "we must guard against irresponsible extremism" and that "prosecution reform is not meant to build a political legacy for specific individuals." Nevertheless, hardliners on prosecution reform, including Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae, Democratic Party Lawmaker Kim Yong-min, and Lim Eun-jung, head of the Gwangju Regional Office of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, have continued their sharp criticism.

[Lim Eun-jung / Head of Gwangju Regional Office of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency (October 6): "It is coming to light to some extent that nominee Kim Ji-yong was involved through the chain of command in various unpleasant incidents on multiple occasions...."]

With nominee Kim Ji-yong's parliamentary confirmation hearing scheduled for October 14, some interpret President Lee's social media message as an offensive move to rein in dissent and curb internal backlash within the ruling bloc.

Video by Jeong Sang-bo | Video Editing by Oh Young-taek | Graphics by Kim Min-young