Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung called Sunday for a public debate on introducing tougher measures against those who post hateful and derogatory content online or engage in such behavior. Lee made the remarks in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, sharing a report that young people believed to be linked to a far-right online forum had engaged in provocative acts mocking former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun near the site of a memorial ceremony held on the anniversary of his death.

According to Yonhap News Agency, there are differing views on whether expressions that incite social division and conflict through mockery and insults, such as those seen on Ilbe, should be protected under freedom of expression or face sanctions, including punishment. Ilbe refers to "Ilbe Storehouse," a South Korean internet community known for its extreme political views, misogyny, racism, and hate speech.

President Lee raised the need for stricter conditions and measures such as punishment, or even punitive damages, for mocking and hateful expressions. He also mentioned the ongoing debate over shutting down such online forums. In his post, Lee asked for public opinion on the matter and stated his intention to raise the issue at a Cabinet meeting.

Lee's comments followed his criticism of Starbucks Korea, which faced backlash for its 2024 promotional material that some critics said evoked the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster. Starbucks Korea introduced its "Siren Classic Mug Collection" on April 16, 2024, the anniversary of the ferry sinking that killed more than 300 people, mostly students. Critics argued that the use of "Siren" was inappropriate due to its association with Greek mythology, where sirens are known for luring sailors to shipwrecks.

Additionally, the coffee chain faced criticism for launching a "Tank Day" event on the anniversary of a 1980 pro-democracy movement that was violently suppressed by the military.