Lee Jae-myung: "Ito Hirobumi's grandson invades the Line... Government is 'dumb'"

Lee, Hospitalized at Seoul National University Hospital, Posts on SNS
"Where Is the Government of the Republic of Korea?" Question Raised

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is on leave for inpatient treatment, criticized the South Korean government on the 11th for remaining idle in response to the 'Line Yahoo incident.'

In the early hours of the day, Lee posted a link to an article titled "Line Pressure Minister, Turns Out to Be a Descendant of Ito Hirobumi" on his Facebook, writing, "Where is the South Korean government?" Six hours later, on the same morning, he posted a new message saying, "Ito Hirobumi: invasion of Joseon territory, Ito Hirobumi's grandson: invasion of South Korea's cyber territory Line. Joseon and South Korean governments: blank~." Lee has been hospitalized at Seoul National University Hospital from the 9th to the 15th for rest and treatment.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Matsumoto Takeaki, Japan's Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, is the great-grandson of Ito Hirobumi, the former Resident-General of Korea who led the colonial rule over Joseon. Earlier, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications issued two administrative guidance notices to Line Yahoo, the operator of the online messenger 'Line,' demanding that Line Yahoo resolve the stake held by Naver. Naver, together with Japan's SoftBank, holds half of the shares of A Holdings, the holding company of Line Yahoo. Launched by Naver in 2011, Line currently has 96 million monthly users in Japan and is widely used, earning the nickname 'national messenger.'

Newly appointed Japanese Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Takeaki Matsumoto is announcing his appointment remarks to reporters at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's residence on December 14 last year.
[Photo by Reuters Yonhap News]

As public opinion spread in South Korea that "the Japanese government is trying to take away Line Yahoo's management rights from Naver" in relation to the administrative guidance by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, on the 10th,

Matsumoto Takeaki stated, "The administrative guidance was not made from the perspective of management rights." At a press conference after the Cabinet meeting that morning, he said, "We demanded a substantial review of the relationship subject to significant capital control and the overall security governance of the group," clarifying the matter.

Meanwhile, on the 10th, Kang Do-hyun, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, expressed regret to the Japanese government on behalf of the South Korean government at a press conference, saying, "We regret that the administrative guidance from Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is being perceived as pressure on our company to sell shares," and added, "We will firmly and strongly respond to any unfair measures against the will of our companies." He further emphasized, "We will ensure that our companies, including Naver, do not face any unreasonable treatment regarding overseas business and overseas investment."