South Korean President Lee Jae-myung faced political backlash on June 30 after posting a restricted official document on X, formerly known as Twitter, detailing anti-phishing enforcement successes alongside a visible section concerning an election commission investigation. The Blue House defended the disclosure as an appropriate direct communication with the public, while opposition lawmakers claimed the document revealed improper monitoring of an independent probe.
Presidential Social Media Post Triggers Opposition Criticism
President Lee uploaded a post at approximately 8:00 p.m. on June 29 praising the performance of the Voice Phishing Integrated Response Team, urging citizens to commend public servants in the police, the Financial Services Commission, and the National Intelligence Service. The post included an attached “Daily Comprehensive Situation Report” marked as confidential at the top right. The bottom of the document showed a cropped phrase reportedly referencing a special counsel investigation into the National Election Commission.
Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the People Power Party held a press conference on the afternoon of June 30 displaying the document. Joo argued that the uncropped portion of the text read, “Election Commission Special Counsel, revote of ballots inside the Olympic Park Handball Stadium,” asserting that the disclosure was an accidental slip. Joo questioned why the president received reports on special counsel investigation activities, characterizing it as direct evidence of collusion or surveillance regarding the election commission probe.
Blue House and Special Counsel Responses to Document Leak Allegations
The Blue House issued an official press release later on June 30 dismissing the opposition claims as factually incorrect. According to the presidential office, the information received by the president relied solely on a public safety report from the National Police Agency concerning the postponement of ballot verification at the Olympic Park Handball Stadium, which aimed to eliminate friction with rally participants. The office noted that while the special counsel operates as an independent body, the National Police Agency falls under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and reports to the president.
The National Election Commission special counsel team also released a statement regarding the document, stating that it had no knowledge of the specific contents listed in the daily report or the circumstances surrounding its drafting. The special counsel emphasized that the investigative team operates independently strictly following laws and principles.
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon criticized the disclosure on Facebook, stating an intention to cooperate in tracking down leaks of confidential information from the Democratic Party while sharing a screen capture of the president’s post. In response, the Blue House issued a follow-up statement clarifying that regulations regarding confidential document leaks apply strictly to internal staff discipline issues. The office maintained that direct communication by the president to inform citizens remains entirely unproblematic and expressed regret over the publication of unverified claims.