President Lee: "I Acknowledge Concerns Over Voting Rights, But Will Strictly Investigate Protester Misconduct"

[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung, currently on a tour of Europe, has acknowledged the public's concerns regarding the infringement of voting rights, while simultaneously criticizing conspiracy theories surrounding election fraud as anti-social behavior. He has also ordered the police to strictly investigate illegal activities by protesters.

Reporter Kang Cheong-wan has the story.

[Reporter]

President Lee Jae-myung stated on social media yesterday (June 15) regarding the voting rights protests, "Protesters must exercise restraint to ensure they do not infringe upon the rights of others," adding, "I have instructed the police to strictly investigate cases of obstruction of business, such as restricting access for civilians."

During a video conference with senior presidential aides held in Rome, he also emphasized the necessity of upholding laws and institutions.

[President Lee Jae-myung: We must rightfully hold them accountable in accordance with the law and principles.]

President Lee defined the issue of voting rights infringement as having been triggered by the poor management of the National Election Commission, and expressed his empathy for the public's concerns.

[President Lee Jae-myung: I fully acknowledge and accept the legitimate concerns raised by our citizens regarding the infringement of their voting rights.]

However, he strongly criticized "election fraud conspiracy theories," stating that groups are once again emerging to exploit the situation by inciting groundless conspiracy theories.

[President Lee Jae-myung: Spreading theories of election fraud by talking about manipulation of election results distorts the essence of this issue and is an anti-social act that insults the valuable voices of the people.]

Yesterday, President Lee met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.

During their 30-minute private meeting, President Lee reportedly conveyed the South Korean government's vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula and confirmed the Vatican's support.

He also officially invited the Pope to the World Youth Day, a Catholic event to be held in Seoul next year.

President Lee Jae-myung will head to Evian, France, today for the G7 Summit.

Attention is focused on whether a bilateral summit with U.S. President Trump will take place during the G7.

(Video coverage: Jung Sang-bo | Video editing: Nam Il | Design: Seo Hyun-joong)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.