Cheong Wa Dae says Lee ordered rescue operations for Daegu incident while on golf course

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SEOUL, Oct. 11 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung was indeed playing golf when a supermarket ceiling collapsed in the southeastern city of Daegu over the weekend, his office confirmed Sunday, while insisting that the president immediately ordered rescue operations after receiving updates on-site.

Cheong Wa Dae took an unusual step of proactively confirming Lee's out-of-office schedule after Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) earlier announced plans to hold a press conference to reveal that Lee had been on the links during the incident.

Large sections of ceiling finish material collapsed on the second floor of a four-story building in Daegu on Saturday morning, injuring 38.

In a statement, Cheong Wa Dae said Lee visited Taeneung Country Club in northern Seoul with his family Saturday and was briefed on the Daegu incident while there.

The presidential office said Lee got on the phone with Kim Jong-cheol, acting chief of the Korean National Police Agency, and received "detailed updates" on casualties and damage.

"President Lee then instructed relevant agencies to deploy all available resources for rescue efforts and ensure swift and safe recovery measures," Cheong Wa Dae added, indicating that Lee's outing at the golf course did not prevent him from performing his duties as head of state.

The announcement by the presidential office appears to be a preemptive response against what it regards as a politically charged attack linking Lee's golf outing to an incident that caused multiple injuries.

Cheong Wa Dae apparently sees practicing golf serves a diplomatic purpose since Lee may play a round with U.S. President Donald Trump, an avid golfer, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Miami, Florida, in December.

This Oct. 5, 2026, photo shows the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. (Yonhap)

Sources said some in the presidential office believe legal action must be taken against Joo over security breaches if the lawmaker were to release photos or videos of the president's security detail and official vehicles.

"As a rule, we do not confirm the president's undisclosed or private weekend activities, but we are making an exception this time to prevent an unnecessary controversy," Cheong Wa Dae said. "We express regret over attempts to exploit the president's private schedule for a political battle."

At his press conference at the National Assembly, Joo claimed that Lee left the golf course at 4:49 p.m. Saturday and described his outing as "an imperial round of golf."

Joo demanded a minute-by-minute account of Lee's response to the incident and called on the presidential office to explain how Lee's round was funded.

"They only begrudgingly admitted to the golf outing only 10 minutes before my press conference because I had secured photos," Joo said while demanding an apology from Lee and a special investigation into the situation.

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) dismissed Joo's allegations as "irresponsible political maneuvering."

"As the presidential office said, President Lee took immediate measures to fulfill his duty to protect citizens' lives," DP spokesperson Cho Gye-won said in a statement, adding that playing golf was part of Lee's preparation for a round with Trump. (END)

Cheong Wa Dae says Lee ordered rescue operations for Daegu incident while on golf course

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首尔，10月11日（韩联社）——韩国总统李在明的办公室周日证实，周末韩国东南部城市大邱一家超市天花板坍塌时，李在明总统确实正在打高尔夫球。办公室同时强调，总统在收到现场最新消息后立即下令展开救援行动。

在主要反对党国民力量党议员朱镇宇早前宣布计划召开新闻发布会，透露李在事发时正在打高尔夫球后，青瓦台采取了不同寻常的举措，主动确认了李在事发时的休假安排。

周六上午，韩国大邱一栋四层楼房二楼的大块天花板装饰材料坍塌，造成 38 人受伤。

青瓦台在一份声明中表示，李在镕周六携家人前往首尔北部的泰陵乡村俱乐部，并在那里听取了有关大邱事件的简报。

总统府表示，李明博与韩国国家警察厅代理厅长金钟哲通了电话，了解了伤亡和损失的“详细情况”。

青瓦台补充说：“李总统随后指示相关部门调动一切可用资源进行救援工作，并确保迅速安全地进行恢复措施。”这表明李总统在高尔夫球场的活动并没有妨碍他履行国家元首的职责。

总统办公室的声明似乎是对一起政治攻击的先发制人回应，该攻击将李的打高尔夫球活动与一起造成多人受伤的事件联系起来。

青瓦台显然认为练习高尔夫球具有外交意义，因为李在镕可能会在 12 月于佛罗里达州迈阿密举行的二十国集团峰会期间与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普（一位狂热的高尔夫球爱好者）打一场高尔夫球。

这张摄于2026年10月5日的照片显示的是韩国总统府青瓦台。（韩联社）

消息人士称，总统府内部一些人认为，如果议员朱某发布总统安保人员和公务车辆的照片或视频，就必须对其采取法律行动，追究其违反安全规定的责任。

青瓦台表示：“通常情况下，我们不会对总统未公开或私密的周末活动予以确认，但这次为了避免不必要的争议，我们破例公布。对于有人企图利用总统的私人行程进行政治斗争，我们深表遗憾。”

在国会举行的记者招待会上，朱声称李在周六下午 4 点 49 分离开高尔夫球场，并称他的这次外出是“一场帝王般的打高尔夫球”。

朱要求李光耀详细交代他对这起事件的反应，并呼吁总统府解释李光耀此轮行动的资金来源。

“直到我召开新闻发布会前 10 分钟，他们才勉强承认打高尔夫球的事，因为我已经拿到了照片，”朱女士说道，同时要求李某道歉并对此事进行特别调查。

执政的民主党驳斥了朱的指控，称其为“不负责任的政治操纵”。

民主党发言人赵桂媛在一份声明中表示：“正如总统府所说，李明博总统立即采取措施，履行其保护公民生命的职责。”她还补充说，打高尔夫球是李明博为与特朗普会晤做准备的一部分。（完）

青瓦台称，李明博在球场上下令对大邱事件展开救援行动。