"Acknowledgment of Voting Rights Concerns; Strict Investigation into Protester Misconduct"

[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung, currently on a tour of Europe, stated that while he acknowledges the public's concerns regarding the infringement of voting rights, he criticized claims of election fraud as anti-social behavior. He also ordered the police to strictly investigate illegal acts by protesters.

Reporter Kang Cheongwan has the story.

[Reporter]

President Lee Jae-myung wrote on social media today (June 15) regarding the voting rights protests, stating, "Protesters must exercise restraint to ensure they do not infringe upon the rights of others," and added, "I have instructed the police to strictly investigate instances of obstruction of business, such as the disruption of restricted areas."

During a video conference with senior presidential aides held in Rome last night (Korean time), President Lee also emphasized the importance of upholding laws and institutions.

[President Lee Jae-myung: We must hold those responsible accountable in accordance with the law and principles.]

President Lee defined the issue of voting rights infringement as having been triggered by poor management by the National Election Commission, expressing empathy for the public's concerns.

[President Lee Jae-myung: I acknowledge and accept the legitimate concerns raised by our citizens regarding the infringement of their voting rights.]

However, he strongly criticized "election fraud conspiracy theories," stating that forces are once again emerging to exploit the situation and incite groundless conspiracy theories.

[President Lee Jae-myung: Spreading theories of election fraud by talking about the manipulation of election results distorts the essence of this issue and is an anti-social act that insults the valuable voices of the people.]

Today, President Lee had an audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.

During the private meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, President Lee reportedly conveyed the South Korean government's vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula and confirmed the Vatican's support.

He also officially invited the Pope to the World Youth Day, a Catholic event to be held in Seoul next year.

After concluding his visit to Italy and the Vatican, President Lee will head to Évian, France, tomorrow for the G7 summit.

Attention is focused on whether a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Trump will take place at the G7.

Reported by Jung Sang-bo | Video by Nam Il | Graphics by Seo Hyun-joong
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.