What did President Lee say?

On October 28, President Lee Jae-myung said that several local governments, including Seoul, are facing criticism over preferential systems for multicultural families. He said the government would examine whether such benefits are needed at all, or whether they should be abolished, in consultation with local governments and possibly through revisions to enforcement decrees.

Why did the issue come up?

The remarks followed a post on the online community FM Korea, which pointed out that in Seoul's safe postnatal care center reservation ranking, mothers from multicultural families and mothers from national merit families were placed in the same second position. Lee shared the post on his X account and thanked its author for the "good point."

Who uses FM Korea?

FM Korea is mainly used by men in their 20s and 30s and is generally regarded as having conservative views. It is known as a community where opinions unfavorable to President Lee are often voiced, according to Yonhap News.

How did Lee respond to criticism?

An X user questioned why Lee would listen to criticism from people who would never support him. Lee responded that everyone, whether supporter or opponent, is a sovereign citizen of South Korea, and that good criticism should be acknowledged regardless of its source.

For international fans

The story is a domestic policy debate about welfare benefits for multicultural families, a group that includes many immigrant spouses and their children. Lee's comments highlight a wider debate in South Korea about balancing support for minorities with equal treatment of all citizens.