In a deeply personal and emotional account, President Lee Jae-myung has spoken publicly about the painful family conflict with his elder brother—an issue that resurfaced during his political career due to a leaked recording in which Lee was heard angrily cursing. The South Korean president explained the background of the family dispute, shedding light on the toll it has taken on both his personal life and public image.
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| President Lee Jae-myung Opens Up About His Troubled Family Past |
President Lee shared that he was born into a large, working-class family of seven siblings. Most of them worked in manual labor jobs, such as construction and sanitation. Lee noted that he was once particularly close to his third-oldest brother, but that their relationship deteriorated over family matters—especially conflicts involving their elderly mother.
The turning point came after Lee was elected Mayor of Seongnam. According to Lee:
“My brother began introducing himself as ‘the mayor’s family’ and called government officials, demanding favors—everything from inspections to disciplinary actions. I had no choice but to order public servants not to take his calls and completely cut contact with him.”
When that didn't work, his brother began calling the mayor’s office, the audit department, and even demanded job placements—like recommending acquaintances to become university professors. Lee stood firm, refusing all requests.
Unable to reach Lee directly, his brother allegedly turned to their mother, pressuring her to contact Lee on his behalf. Things escalated dangerously:
“He told our mother he would kill her and burn the house down if she didn’t get me on the phone,” Lee said.
“Eventually, he physically assaulted her, even though she was nearly 80 years old.”
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| SBS 집사부일체 이재명 188회 |
This marked the moment Lee says his anger boiled over. The two later had a heated phone call, which was secretly recorded. A portion of the recording was leaked, revealing Lee’s explicit language and cursing.
“I don’t deny it. If he had been in front of me, I might have hit him. That call happened the night my mother was injured, and I was on my way to the police station. I was furious.”
Lee also shared the heartbreaking story of his younger sister, who worked various low-wage jobs, including as a sanitation worker. She reportedly died suddenly in a bathroom at dawn.
“She never wanted to work those jobs but kept going because she was afraid that quitting might reflect badly on me,” Lee said.
“After her death, no one stepped up to handle her funeral. My brother even killed her dog.”
Despite the family turmoil, President Lee emphasized that he has never granted special privileges to anyone, not even to his family:
“Other than that one brother, none of my siblings have tried to use my position for personal gain. They’ve lived honest lives, working hard. And I have never given anyone any undue favors. I never will—even if it’s my own brother.”
Learn Korean Through This News
Korean Text:
“이 지사는 "당시 형님이 시정에 관여하려 했다. 내가 그걸 차단했다"며 "그 일을 형님은 어머니를 통해 해결하려고 했고, 어머니를 협박하기 시작했다. 이후 어머니가 무서워서 집에 나오셨다"고 입장을 밝혔다. 이어 "그때 일로 시장을 그만둘 생각도 했다"면서 "그래도 언젠가는 화해를 해야 한다고 생각한다. 공직자로서 품격을 유지 못한 게 후회된다"고 덧붙였다.”
Key Vocabulary:
- 이 지사 – Governor Lee
- 당시 – at that time
- 형님 – older brother (honorific for males)
- 시정 – municipal administration
- 관여하다 – to interfere, to be involved
- 차단하다 – to block, to stop
- 해결하다 – to resolve, to handle
- 협박하다 – to threaten
- 무서워서 – because of fear
- 입장을 밝히다 – to express one’s position/opinion
- 그만두다 – to quit
- 화해하다 – to reconcile
- 공직자 – public official
- 품격 – dignity, class
- 유지하다 – to maintain
- 후회되다 – to be regrettable
Translation:
Governor Lee said, “At the time, my older brother tried to interfere in city affairs. I blocked him. He then tried to resolve the matter through my mother and began threatening her. Eventually, she became scared and left home.” He added, “I even thought of quitting my position as mayor over that incident. Still, I believe that someday we must reconcile. I regret not maintaining dignity as a public official.”
References: sbs 집사부일체, nate news, yonhap news, chosun news
Keywords
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