Lee Jae Myung Addresses Family Controversy on Hong Jinkyung's YouTube Channel
"Life Is Full of Mistakes... Fighting with My Family Was the Hardest"
Wife Is Now His 'Closest Friend', Mother Was the 'Most Influential Person'
Lee Jae Myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, cited "fighting with my family" as the thing he regrets most. Appearing on the YouTube channel "Gongbuwang Jjincheonjae Hong Jinkyung" on May 28, Lee was asked, "What is your biggest regret?" He replied, "There are many things. Life is full of mistakes, but the hardest thing for me was fighting with my family," adding, "It didn't end as a personal matter; many people were hurt because of it."
Lee Jae Myung, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group
In 2014, while serving as mayor of Seongnam, a recording of Lee cursing during a phone call with his older brother and sister-in-law was made public, sparking controversy. Earlier, in 2012, Lee was put on trial on charges of abuse of power for allegedly ordering the illegal forced hospitalization of his older brother by instructing the head of a public health center, but he was acquitted. As a result, controversies related to his family have repeatedly become a stumbling block for Lee during election periods.
During the presidential candidate TV debate on May 23, Kim Moon Soo, the People Power Party candidate, asked, "When you were mayor of Seongnam, didn't you try to have your brother forcibly admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and then end up fighting and cursing with your sister-in-law?" In response, Lee said, "My brother verbally abused my mother, so I confronted him and asked, 'How can you say such things?'" He added, "However, this was due to my own lack of character, and I apologize for that."
Lee also tearfully apologized in 2021, during the previous presidential election, regarding the incident involving verbal abuse toward his sister-in-law. At the time, he said, "It is true that I verbally abused my family. If I could go back to that time, I would try not to do it again, but to be honest, I don't know what would happen." He continued, "My mother devoted her life to raising seven children, but my brother, who was not mentally healthy, threatened to set fire to the house and subjected my mother to verbal abuse that would be difficult for any ordinary woman to endure. There were even incidents where he assaulted my mother, and I found it unbearable, which led to that situation."
He added, "At the time, I was prepared to resign from public office, but about ten years have passed since then, and I have matured a lot in the meantime. Since both my mother and brother have passed away, such a tragic situation will never happen again."
Meanwhile, during the broadcast, Lee spoke frequently about his family. When asked, "Who is your closest friend?" he replied, "These days, I think my wife has become my friend," naming his spouse, Kim Hye Kyung. He added, "We hardly ever argue as a couple now. We used to argue a lot in the past," and explained, "If you accept that your own memories may not always be the truth, arguments decrease." Asked who had the greatest influence on his life, he answered, "My mother." He said, "My mother's embrace was so warm and affectionate, and I felt sorry for all her hardships. Whenever I was with her, all difficulties were forgotten."
In addition to Lee, the channel featured appearances by Kim Moon Soo, the People Power Party candidate, and Lee Jun Seok, the Reform Party candidate. When asked, "When was your last kiss?" Lee Jae Myung laughed and said, "Who would tell you that?" Kim confidently replied, "I still kiss every day." Lee Jun Seok laughed off the question. When asked, "If you became president, what policy would you want to implement?" Lee Jae Myung said, "Eradicating reckless driving." Kim said, "I would give 100 million won to everyone who has a child," and Lee Jun Seok said, "I want to create a world where no one is bad at math."
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