On July 26, a text message from President Yoon Suk-yeol describing People Power Party (PPP) leader Lee Jun-seok as a “party leader who used to gun down members” was captured. A Telegram conversation between the president and the acting leader and floor leader of the People Power Party Kweon Seong-dong was captured on Kweon’s cell phone and released to the public. The Office of the President did not state an official position.

This was the first time since the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol government that the president publicly revealed his uncomfortable feelings toward Lee. The latest message is likely to fuel allegations that President Yoon’s opinions were reflected in the PPP ethics committee decision to enforce disciplinary measures on the party leader. It also strengthened doubts on President Yoon’s repeated declaration not to interfere in any internal strife in the party.

A National Assembly press photographer in the audience captured the Telegram conversation between President Yoon and acting party leader Kweon when Kweon checked the Telegram message on his cell phone during the parliamentary questioning of the government in the National Assembly this afternoon. In the chatroom, the sender stated as “President Yoon Suk-yeol” sent two consecutive messages, “Our party is doing well. Keep up the good work,” and “Things changed since the party leader who used to gun down members was replaced.” Kweon replied, “We will heed the thoughts of the President and show the party and government as one.”

The cell phone screen that was captured showed a sticker of a cherry giving a thumbs up in the bottom of the chatroom, suggesting a positive response from President Yoon. The picture was taken when Kweon was typing the words, “along with Kang Ki-hoon” in the chatroom.

The relationship between President Yoon and Lee Jun-seok was rocky since the presidential election. There was severe conflict between the party leader and President Yoon, a presidential candidate at the time, and his key aides (referred to as Yoonhaekgwan in Korean). In the process, Lee engaged in a “strike” refusing to tend to party affairs on two occasions. This enraged President Yoon, and lawmakers barely managed to calm the two down.

After the victory in the June 1 local elections, Lee Jun-seok publicly argued with lawmaker Chung Jin-suk and supreme council member Bae Hyun-jin on the issue of launching an innovation committee. He also called lawmakers Ahn Cheol-soo and Chang Je-won, one of Yoon’s closest aides, “ganjang,” claiming they were trying to “feel (taste) the situation out” when selecting the PPP supreme council members. (“Gan” in Korean refers to taste, and “jang” is the sound of Chang’s surname. Ganjang is also the Korean word for soy sauce.) President Yoon’s mention of Lee gunning members down suggests such internal strife.

The president’s conflict with Lee continued as Lee and the Office of the President gave mixed opinions on a private meeting between the two men, and as Kweon alone, without Lee, saw President Yoon off on his way to the NATO summit.

President Yoon’s message means that things got better in the party after Lee, who used to “gun down members” was suspended and Kweon stepped up as acting party leader. He could have spoken the way he did to make the listener feel good, but it may have revealed the president’s true thoughts on the party leadership. The president’s words also support suspicions that his thoughts were reflected when the party’s ethics committee suspended the party membership of Lee for six months for allegedly destroying evidence of his sexual bribery on July 8.

The Office of the President did not release any statement and is refraining from speaking. An official from the presidential office just said, “Acting leader Kweon will explain.” The presidential office seems to be keeping a keen eye on any ripples from this incident. This evening, Kweon wrote on social media, “The president expressed his gratitude for the commitment of our party lawmakers. I think he used the expression that some people are speaking about to express his appreciation and gratitude of my taking over as acting party leader while struggling with the formation of the parliamentary leadership.” He added, “It is solely my fault that a private conversation with the president was exposed due to my negligence, leading to misunderstanding.”

Lee, who is currently visiting Ulleung-do, only wrote about the development of Ulleung-do on social media shortly after the press coverage and did not mention President Yoon’s message.

The opposition party criticized President Yoon for interfering with party affairs. In a written briefing, Jo O-seop, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea asked, “Was President Yoon’s claim that he would not interfere in party affairs a lie? Was he playing possum?” and said, “We ask President Yoon to clearly state whether he was involved in the disciplinary action against Lee.” Democratic Party lawmaker Park Yong-jin wrote on social media, “Was the president neglecting his task of state affairs and typing coordinates on a messenger against the PPP leader mentioning the gunning down of members?”