Lee orders talks on shutting down hate sites; Shinsegae chief to apologize

May 26, 2026, 08:11 am

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President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a meeting with presidential advisory councils and committees at the Blue House on May 21. /Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung is set to discuss the possible shutdown of controversial online community site Ilbe during a Cabinet meeting on May 26, while Jung Yong-jin is expected to issue a public apology over the recent Starbucks controversy.

According to the presidential office, Lee instructed ministries to prepare response measures after calling for public discussion and legal review of stronger penalties against online mockery and hate speech.

The president has recently intensified criticism of what he described as a growing culture of ridicule and hatred online, referencing controversies surrounding Starbucks Korea’s “Tank Day” promotion, a subsequent “Siren event,” and alleged mocking behavior by suspected Ilbe users during a memorial ceremony for former President Roh Moo-hyun in Bongha Village.

In a post on X on May 24, Lee said, “There appears to be a need for public discussion and practical review of allowing measures such as punishment and punitive damages for ridicule and hate speech, as well as the closure of websites like Ilbe that encourage and tolerate such behavior.”

He added that he would raise the matter during the Cabinet meeting.

Government ministries, including the Korea Communications Standards Commission and the Ministry of Justice, are expected to present countermeasures aimed at curbing online hate speech and harassment.

A presidential office official said, “Since the president gave instructions, relevant ministries will report response measures during tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting.”

Still, whether Lee’s proposals can be implemented remains uncertain.

A similar attempt to shut down Ilbe was reviewed during the administration of former President Moon Jae-in in 2018 after more than 230,000 people signed a Blue House petition demanding the site’s closure. However, the effort stalled due to insufficient legal grounds.

Current regulations allow authorities to block or shut down a website if more than 70 percent of its content is deemed illegal. But officials previously concluded that Ilbe did not meet that threshold because the site contains a wide range of posts beyond hateful or mocking content.

The situation differs from the case of Soranet, an illegal pornography website shut down in 2016 after authorities determined that the majority of its content involved unlawful material, including sexual exploitation content involving women and minors.

The issue is also expected to reignite debate over freedom of expression, a constitutionally protected right in South Korea.

Observers noted that Lee’s reference to the need for “public discussion and practical review” suggests awareness of potential constitutional and political controversy surrounding any attempt to shut down online communities.

Separately, Jung Yong-jin will publicly apologize on May 26 regarding the Starbucks “Tank Day” controversy and announce the results of an internal investigation along with measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.