Lee: “Saying ‘xiexie’ to China, did I say anything wrong?… We must also maintain good relations with Russia.”

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving a speech at a campaign rally held in front of Gumi Station in Gumi City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, on the 13th. Photo by Lee Byung-joo, Gumi,
, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, addressed the ‘pro-China’ controversy aimed at him by stating, “I said ‘xiexie’ (meaning thank you in Chinese) to both Taiwan and China. Is that wrong?” He emphasized a pragmatic diplomatic approach prioritizing national interest in Daegu, an area considered challenging for the Democratic Party, showing determination to overcome the controversy.
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, During his campaign in Dongseongro, Daegu, Lee stated, “Isn’t diplomacy about making our people live better and protecting national interests?” He added, “The Korea-U.S. alliance is important. We need to cooperate with Korea, the U.S., and Japan. But that doesn’t mean we should become enemies with other countries.” He further questioned the audience, saying, “We should maintain good relations with Russia and sell goods too. Shouldn’t we?” He also made the audience laugh by joking, “I was going to say ‘xiexie’ to the Japanese ambassador but changed it to ‘kamsahamnida’ (thank you in Korean) because they might not understand.”
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, Last March, during a campaign at a traditional market in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, Lee criticized the Yoon Seok-youl administration’s policy on China, saying, “Why should we get involved in the Taiwan issue? We can just say ‘xiexie’ to China and Taiwan.” The former ruling party criticized this as “submissive pro-China diplomacy.” In response, Lee clarified that he had been emphasizing a practical approach to diplomacy.
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, On this day, Lee reiterated that the criteria for choices in diplomacy and politics should be based on pragmatism. He stated, “Politics should ultimately improve people’s lives and pave the future of the nation. Does it matter if it’s Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, independent Lee Jae-myung, or Lee Jae-myung of the People Power Party?”