Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Prominent liberal pundit accuses Lee of governing ruling bloc like 'monarchy'
Rhyu Si-min, a former lawmaker and welfare minister, who is now a political critic / Korea Times file
By Yi Whan-woo
A prominent liberal political commentator has accused President Lee Jae Myung of behaving like an “arrogant ruler” and seeking to control the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in a manner reminiscent of a monarchy.
Rhyu Si-min, a former lawmaker from the liberal bloc who also served as welfare minister before becoming a political pundit, claimed the president handpicked the DPK’s new chairman and used him as a proxy to tighten his grip on the ruling party.
Rhyu was referring to Kim Min-seok, who served as Lee’s first prime minister before being elected as DPK leader on Aug. 17.
Kim won a bitter leadership race against Jung Chung-rae, a leading figure in a DPK faction regarded as being at odds with Lee.
“When a president handpicks someone to lead the ruling party and tries to get that person elected, the country is moving toward monarchy and aristocracy,” Rhyu said during a YouTube program on Monday.
“The president tried to control the party by sending in his proxy. That runs counter to the spirit of a republic,” Rhyu added.
His blunt criticism is drawing attention because Rhyu publicly supported Lee in the presidential election.
“I supported President Lee, but I did not worship him," Rhyu said in reference to his campaign support.
“Over the past year, the president has presented himself as an arrogant wielder of power," he added.
Rhyu stressed that it was not important whether Lee had always possessed such tendencies or had changed after taking office.
“What matters is what he is showing us now,” he said. “The president is not governing through communication, mutual understanding and empathy.”
Rhyu brought up internal strife within the main opposition People Power Party under ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, particularly the removal of then-party leader Lee Jun-seok in August 2022 amid tensions with Yoon.
Rhyu said he had predicted that the Yoon administration would soon face a negative outcome because, by removing Lee Jun-seok, it was dismantling its own power base.
"The Lee Jae Myung administration is also entering a highly unstable phase as the anti-Lee faction [within the DPK] has been dismantled," he argued.