Lee questions multicultural benefits: Centrist outreach or political misstep?

President Lee Jae Myung questioned the fairness of benefits for multicultural families at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, prompting debate over whether he was trying to appeal to centrist voters or acting defensively within the liberal camp. Some analysts said the remarks could help him regain support from pragmatic voters, while others doubted the strategy would work or warned of a backlash. Lee’s approval rating rose to 36.9 percent, but the pollster attributed the increase to economic indicators and housing plans. Migrant labor and human rights groups called on him to apologize.

Realmeter reported that Lee’s approval rating increased 1.6 percentage points from the previous week.

The poll surveyed 2,515 adults nationwide from Oct. 26 to 30 and had a margin of error of 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

Realmeter attributed the approval-rating increase to improving economic indicators and plans to expand housing supply in the greater Seoul area.

On Tuesday, 114 migrant labor and human rights groups held a press conference outside Cheong Wa Dae and called Lee’s remarks hateful and discriminatory.

Shin Yul of Myongji University said many members of multicultural families are Korean citizens who may face disadvantages and questioned whether cutting benefits for others would attract younger voters.

Published Nov 3, 2026 4:11 pm KST

Updated Nov 3, 2026 4:38 pm KST

Fairness push tests his appeal to moderates, commitment to liberal values

President Lee Jae Myung listens during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps

President Lee Jae Myung’s repeated questioning of benefits for multicultural families has raised a question beyond policy fairness: Is he trying to broaden his appeal by challenging his own liberal base?

Political analysts and other experts contacted by The Korea Times offered differing interpretations. Some viewed his remarks at official meetings and on social media as a deliberate effort to reclaim the political center. Others were less certain there was any coherent strategy.

In the latest such remarks at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Lee said the government had a duty to support socially and economically disadvantaged people, but stressed that such assistance must also reflect the principles of fairness and reasonableness.

“Even benefits that seem small or trivial can undermine public trust in the system if they continue without a reasonable basis,” he said. “This could not only undermine the foundations of sustainable policy but also give those seeking to incite hatred against vulnerable people a pretext for doing so.”

Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon interpreted the remarks as a strategic effort to shift the political battleground.

He argued that disputes over prosecution reform had put the president in an uncomfortable position against hard-liners within the broader liberal camp. Raising fairness concerns about multicultural benefits allows the president to confront those critics on an issue potentially more appealing to voters outside that camp.

“I think the strategy is to raise his approval rating,” the commentator told The Korea Times, adding that winning back pragmatically minded voters who had previously supported him could matter more than satisfying a relatively small group of vocal liberal hard-liners.

Hong Hyeong-sik, another political commentator, also believes that Lee’s fairness comments have a potential incentive to expand support, particularly among voters in their 20s and 30s. But he questioned whether the remarks were part of a deliberate strategy.

“Rather than a carefully calculated political move, I think this may reflect a psychological defense mechanism — a reluctance to back down when he is already on the defensive within the liberal camp,” Hong said.

Lee’s approval rating rose 1.6 percentage points from the previous week to 36.9 percent, according to a poll released on Monday by Realmeter. Yet it remains unclear whether his remarks on multicultural benefits contributed to the increase. The pollster attributed the rise to improving economic indicators and announced plans to expand housing supply in the greater Seoul area.

Members of migrant labor and human rights groups hold a rally near Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday, demanding President Lee Jae Myung apologize for his recent remarks on benefits for multicultural families. Yonhap

Even if Lee’s stance helps broaden his appeal, the gains are unlikely to be substantial, according to Kim Sung-joo, an emeritus professor at Sungkyunkwan University.

“I don’t think there will be a major gain,” Kim said, cautioning against attributing changes in public support to a single issue. He also warned that repeatedly revisiting the dispute could provoke a backlash.

Shin Yul, a professor at Myongji University, was more skeptical about the electoral logic.

He stressed that multicultural families should not be conflated with foreign workers, noting that many members of such families are Korean citizens who may face disadvantages.

Even if some conservative and moderate voters welcomed Lee’s remarks, Shin questioned whether enough would become supporters to offset potential losses among his liberal base. He also challenged the assumption that cutting benefits for others would win over younger voters without tangibly improving their own circumstances.

“It still puzzles me. I don’t understand why he said it,” Shin said.

Kim Joon-sik, a rights advocate who promotes migrant rights, said framing multicultural families as excessively favored could reinforce prejudice against them.

Although he said he did not believe Lee was deliberately exploiting the issue for political gain, he warned that the message conflicted with the liberal bloc’s commitment to human rights and protecting disadvantaged groups.

On Tuesday, 114 migrant labor and human rights groups held a press conference outside Cheong Wa Dae, calling on the president to publicly apologize for his remarks, which they described as “hateful and discriminatory.”

The poll, conducted on 2,515 adults nationwide from Oct. 26 to 30 by Realmeter, had a margin of error of 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. For more details, visit the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.

周二，李在明总统在内阁会议上质疑多元文化家庭福利的公平性，引发了关于他此举是试图争取中间选民支持还是在自由派阵营内部进行防御的争论。一些分析人士认为，此番言论可能有助于他重新赢得务实选民的支持，而另一些人则怀疑这一策略是否奏效，并警告称此举可能会引发强烈反弹。李在明的支持率上升至36.9%，但民调机构将这一增长归因于经济指标和住房计划。外籍劳工和人权组织呼吁他道歉。

Realmeter 的数据显示，李的支持率比前一周上升了 1.6 个百分点。

该民意调查于 10 月 26 日至 30 日期间对全国 2515 名成年人进行了调查，在 95% 的置信水平下，误差幅度为 2 个百分点。

Realmeter 将支持率上升归因于经济指标的改善以及扩大首尔都市圈住房供应的计划。

周二，114个外籍劳工和人权组织在青瓦台外举行新闻发布会，称李的言论是仇恨和歧视性的。

明知大学的申烈表示，许多多元文化家庭的成员都是韩国公民，他们可能会面临不利处境。他质疑削减其他人的福利是否会吸引年轻选民。

发布于2026年11月3日下午4:11（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年11月3日下午4:38（韩国标准时间）

公平正义的推进考验着他对温和派的吸引力，以及他对自由主义价值观的承诺。

周二，李在明总统在首尔青瓦台出席内阁会议并聆听发言。（联合记者团）

李在明总统反复质疑多元文化家庭的福利，这引发了一个超越政策公平性的问题：他是否试图通过挑战自己的自由派支持者来扩大其影响力？

《韩国时报》采访的政治分析人士和其他专家给出了不同的解读。一些人认为他在官方会议和社交媒体上的言论是旨在重塑政治中心地位的刻意之举。另一些人则不太确定这其中是否存在任何连贯的策略。

李显龙周二在内阁会议上再次发表类似言论，称政府有责任支持社会和经济弱势群体，但强调此类援助也必须体现公平合理的原则。

他说：“即使是一些看似微不足道的好处，如果缺乏合理的依据，也会削弱公众对制度的信任。这不仅会动摇可持续政策的基础，还会给那些企图煽动仇恨弱势群体的人提供借口。”

政治评论员李钟勋将这些言论解读为转移政治战场的一种战略举措。

他认为，围绕检察改革的争议使总统在更广泛的自由派阵营中陷入了与强硬派的尴尬境地。提出关于多元文化益处的公平性问题，可以让总统在一个可能更能吸引自由派阵营之外选民的议题上与这些批评者正面交锋。

“我认为他的策略是提高支持率，”这位评论员告诉《韩国时报》，并补充说，赢回以前支持他的务实选民可能比满足一小群活跃的自由派强硬派更重要。

另一位政治评论员洪亨植也认为，李在公平问题上的言论有可能有助于扩大支持率，尤其是在20多岁和30多岁的选民中。但他质疑这些言论是否是蓄意策略的一部分。

洪表示：“我认为这与其说是精心策划的政治举动，不如说是一种心理防御机制——在自由派阵营中已经处于守势的情况下，他不愿退缩。”

根据Realmeter周一公布的民调显示，李明博的支持率较前一周上升1.6个百分点，达到36.9%。然而，目前尚不清楚他关于多元文化益处的言论是否促成了支持率的上升。该民调机构将支持率的上升归因于经济指标的改善以及首尔都市圈住房供应扩张计划的宣布。

周二，外来务工人员和人权组织成员在首尔青瓦台附近举行集会，要求总统李在明就其近期关于多元文化家庭福利的言论道歉。（韩联社）

成均馆大学名誉教授金成柱认为，即使李的立场有助于扩大他的影响力，但收益也不太可能很大。

金正恩表示：“我认为不会有重大进展。”他告诫人们不要将公众支持率的变化归因于单一议题。他还警告说，反复重提这一争端可能会引发强烈反弹。

明知大学教授申烈对选举逻辑持怀疑态度。

他强调，不应将多元文化家庭与外籍劳工混为一谈，并指出此类家庭的许多成员是韩国公民，他们可能会面临不利处境。

即便一些保守派和温和派选民对李的言论表示欢迎，申也质疑能否获得足够多的支持者来弥补其自由派基本盘可能遭受的损失。他还质疑削减他人福利就能赢得年轻选民支持，却无法切实改善他们自身境况的假设。

“我还是不明白。我不明白他为什么会这么说，”申说道。

倡导移民权利的人权倡导者金俊植表示，将多元文化家庭描绘成过度受优待，可能会加剧对他们的偏见。

虽然他表示不认为李是在故意利用这个问题谋取政治利益，但他警告说，这一信息与自由派阵营对人权和保护弱势群体的承诺相冲突。

周二，114个外籍劳工和人权组织在青瓦台外举行新闻发布会，呼吁总统就其“充满仇恨和歧视”的言论公开道歉。

这项由Realmeter公司于10月26日至30日对全国2515名成年人进行的民意调查，在95%的置信水平下，误差幅度为2个百分点。更多详情，请访问全国选举调查审议委员会网站。