South Korean president likens inter-Korean ties to troubled marriage

Korea Herald

2 days ago

Lee uses couples therapy as metaphor to stress the need for 'mutual understanding' as path to peace
In response to a question about achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung offered an unconventional metaphor — comparing inter-Korean relations to a troubled marriage in need of counseling.
Addressing reporters Thursday at his first press conference to mark his 30th day in office, Lee recalled his time as a lawyer handling divorces. He shared that some couples reconsidered splitting up after he encouraged them to see the situation from each other's perspective.
'I asked them to put themselves in the other's shoes. Once they did, they stopped coming back to my office,' Lee said. 'They began to understand each other when they imagined what life looked like from their partner's side.'
The president, who practiced law for nearly 20 years before entering politics in the late 2000s, extended the analogy to broader conflicts between individuals, political rivals and even nations.
'The same principle applies to relations between people, between rival parties, between the two Koreas, and between global blocs,' he said, emphasizing dialogue and empathy over confrontation.
Lee maintained a conversational tone throughout the two-hour press conference, adding moments of humor as he addressed a range of tough questions. In front of an audience of about 147 reporters, including members of the foreign press, he appeared more engaged in dialogue than confrontation. His office said the setup was deliberately arranged to foster a sense of closeness, reducing the distance between the president and the press in the front row to just 1.5 meters.
When asked if he planned to take summer vacation — typically taken by South Korean presidents in early August — Lee responded with characteristic wit, recalling his time as mayor of Seongnam.
"The mystery was that floods always broke out whenever I went on leave," he said. "After that, I started thinking, 'How can an elected official take a break?' I figured I was working whenever my eyes were open and resting when they were closed."
Lee said he later realized that his refusal to take time off prevented his staff from taking their own holidays. "This time, I really should take a vacation," he added. "But just when I'm planning it, the ruling party is set to begin its primary."
To ensure fairness in selecting questions, the presidential office used a drawing box system, prompting Lee to quip that the scene resembled a 'housing lottery.'
As Lee took his first question — about his first month in office — he joked, 'Is it Friday again?' He explained that Fridays had become significant for him because weekends often meant confinement inside the presidential residence in Yongsan, Seoul.
"I usually get stuck there, feeling like I'm walking on eggshells," he said, noting how dozens of bodyguards, police officers and staff follow him wherever he goes. 'That's why Fridays matter. They mark the start of another weekend of being cooped up inside.'