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President Lee Jae-myung poses for a commemorative photo with medical staff during a visit to the National Fire Service Hospital in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, on the 11th. / Yonhap

Political disputes and pointed criticism have disappeared from President Lee Jae-myung's X (formerly Twitter) account.

This marks a notable shift from his earlier style, when he didn't hold back — calling out Starbucks over its "Tank Day" controversy as the shoddy antics of a low-grade merchant, and publicly criticizing the court over the appellate conviction of Kim Yong, former deputy director of the Democratic Party's Institute for Democracy, saying it was truly hard to understand. Lately, softer messages have taken their place instead — highlighting government achievements, encouraging civil servants, and offering well-wishes to foreign leaders.

Looking at President Lee's X account as of the 11th, he has posted a total of 8 times from the 1st through that day, with half of those — 4 posts — related to his trip to the U.S. and South America.

The sheer volume of posts has also dropped sharply. From January through March, Lee posted an average of 2.7 times per day, with as many as 11 posts on some days — a stark contrast to his recent activity.

The content has also shifted. Until last month, he freely used his characteristically blunt style to post messages likely to carry political fallout, criticizing specific individuals, organizations, prosecutors, and the judiciary without holding back. He even posted messages targeting the ruling party while on overseas trips, prompting concern that his sharp remarks were overshadowing the actual achievements of his summit diplomacy.

Many point to his public criticism on the 19th of last month over the rise in the Democratic Party's convention deposit fee as the turning point. After that remark drew fierce criticism as improper presidential interference in party affairs, both the intensity and frequency of his X posts appear to have dropped.

This shift toward a "milder" X presence is also seen as influenced by the Democratic Party's upcoming national convention on August 17. Since a single presidential remark could be interpreted as tied to a specific candidate or internal party dynamics, Lee appears to have grown more cautious about avoiding unnecessary political controversy.

His recent approval rating slipping into the 40% range is also seen as a contributing factor. Presidential aides are reported to have consistently advised that, since Lee posts on X personally, his messages would be better focused on policy achievements and communicating with the public rather than political disputes.

                                                                                                             Hong Sun-mi