Reflections on the president’s 1 a.m. enter key

 

Choi Hoon
 
The author is a senior columnist at the JoongAng Ilbo.


 
 
One of the most notable and intriguing developments in Korean politics recently has been President Lee Jae Myung’s direct communication with the public through social media.
 
Lee is an early adopter who began using Facebook in the early 2010s, when smartphones were rapidly spreading, during his time as mayor of Seongnam. Since taking office, he has used X, formerly Twitter, as a tool to deliver messages and promote policies. More recently, he even joined TikTok, a short-form video platform where 61 percent of users are between the ages of 18 and 34, expanding his outreach to younger audiences.
 

President Lee Jae Myung poses for photos with residents during a visit to Bansong Market in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, on March 15. Lee is known to favor direct engagement with citizens, both through in-person visits and communication via social media. Earlier that day, he attended the 66th anniversary ceremony of the March 15 Uprising at the National 3·15 Democracy Cemetery in Changwon — the first sitting president to do so. The March 15 Uprising was the first bloody pro-democracy movement in Korea, sparked by protests led by citizens and students in Masan, now part of Changwon, on March 15, 1960, after witnessing election fraud. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

 
Through these platforms, Lee has broadened his communication network to include both millennials — people born between 1981 and 1996 — and Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012. This strategy marks a different path from the People Power Party, which critics say remains confined within the echo chamber of conservative YouTube channels steeped in far-right nostalgia.
 
The rise of direct communication from presidents is partly rooted in longstanding tensions with traditional media such as newspapers and broadcasters, whose role has been to monitor power. Former President Roh Moo-hyun often lamented that he felt “trapped inside castle walls, constantly under attack from the media,” and remarked that it sometimes seemed as though OhmyNews, a progressive online news outlet, was his only ally. Roh frequently repeated the idea that “we must find our own way to survive and create our own exit.” That exit, in his view, lay in communicating with the broader public outside the walls through the internet.
 

President Lee Jae Myung’s post on X (formerly Twitter) on Feb. 16 criticizing the practice of owning multiple homes for investment or speculative purposes. [X CAPTURE]

 
U.S. President Donald Trump, serving his second term, also made extensive use of social media. He once said it allowed him to communicate directly with citizens “without going through fake news.” Trump added that without social media, he might not have reached his current position. He likened tweeting to typing on a typewriter, saying that when he posted a message, television networks would immediately broadcast it. By bypassing critical outlets such as CNN and The New York Times, he used the speed of direct communication as a political weapon.
 
President Lee has expressed similar views. During last year’s presidential campaign, he remarked that without direct communication with citizens through social media, he might not have survived politically. He argued that distorted coverage and misinformation from some media outlets would otherwise have destroyed him. According to Lee, the reason such attacks failed was precisely because he communicated directly with the public. He even described social media as his political lifeline.
 
Direct communication certainly offers advantages in the era of new media. When presidents seek to persuade the public directly in order to advance policies, it can become a modern strength of leadership rather than reliance on personal charisma alone. The agenda-setting role once dominated by traditional media is increasingly shifting. Issues debated on social media often form the agenda first, after which traditional media report on them in what could be called reverse agenda setting.
 
For traditional media, this change presents new tasks: ensuring factual accuracy, providing deeper professional analysis and discovering fresh perspectives beyond the rapid exchanges of online debate.
 
Yet, the growing reliance on presidential social media also raises concerns. Korea’s political culture often treats a president’s words as the final answer. As a result, discussions, debates and verification processes among administrative agencies or presidential advisers risk being overshadowed by the president’s speed in posting messages.
 

Related Article

• President Lee joins TikTok, surpasses 100,000 followers in just four days

• Lee's approval rating rises to 56.5% due to government's efforts to stabilize housing market: Poll

• Lee steps up resolve to stabilize housing prices

• Lee refutes opposition party's criticism over housing supply plan

 
One example was Lee’s proposal of a “sugar tax,” which he floated on social media. Over the past two months, he has also issued a series of messages about real estate policy, making it difficult to understand policy direction without checking his X account. The tone has grown increasingly forceful. At one point, he warned that he would not allow property owners to benefit from simply “holding out.” He also used blunt language toward the opposition, saying they sounded “like kindergartners learning how to speak.” Recently, he even urged citizens to report gas stations directly to him if they violated the government’s price cap on oil.
 
It is understandable that a president might wish to emphasize determination in pursuing policies or attempt to shake bureaucratic inertia among officials in the field. Strong rhetorical emphasis can be part of leadership. However, if the president repeatedly declares detailed policy directions personally, it raises questions about the role of the presidential office, government ministries and research institutions whose jobs are to study policy and propose alternatives.
 
Another concern is that such direct communication may bypass cooperation with the National Assembly, including efforts to persuade opposition parties. Real estate policy alone illustrates how complex policymaking can be. Decisions about when to sell property, price trends and the expectations of homebuyers interact with household income, interest rates, liquidity conditions, lending regulations and political negotiations with the opposition.
 
Perhaps, the most troubling issue is the timing of the president’s messages. Many of Lee’s posts — including those on the sugar tax and real estate policy — were sent around 1 a.m.
 

President Lee Jae Myung has been regularly posting short-form videos and other content since opening his TikTok account on Feb. 28. [TIKTOK CAPTURE]

 
Psychologists and neuroscientists often advise that people should never send romantic letters written late at night. The advice has a scientific basis. During quiet nighttime hours when conversation and social interaction stop, the prefrontal cortex — responsible for rational judgment and self-control — tends to function less effectively. Emotional brakes weaken, impulse control declines and people are less likely to consider long-term consequences. Thoughts about the past rather than the future dominate, and emotions such as anger or melancholy may intensify.
 
One minister reportedly complained privately that he feels compelled to monitor the president’s social media until around 1:30 a.m. each day. The conclusion that “no market can defeat the government,” delivered in the middle of the night, might have benefited from reconsideration in daylight.
 
The internet and social media have served as powerful tools for politicians such as Roh Moo-hyun, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. At the same time, they can quickly become dangerous instruments, capable of triggering severe backlash from a single mistake involving facts or logic.
 
Greater communication with citizens is welcome. Yet, many observers hope the president will also demonstrate restraint and prudence in how he uses social media.


This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.