How President Lee’s New Policy on Citizen Complaints is Reshaping Public Service in 2026
Daniel Kim Views
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President Lee Jae-myung urged public officials on the 12th to treat citizen complaints not as nuisances to be avoided but as expressions of the public’s will that officials should respect and investigate.
He made the remark while quoting an article on X (formerly Twitter) that introduced the government’s new policy to assign conflict-resolution officers to agencies.
“Citizen complaints are like a treasure trove filled with items for government reform,” he said. “They contain the voices of the public that we must respect and act on.”
On chronic cases of abusive or malicious complaints, he noted, “People rarely make unfair claims knowingly. If you invest sufficient time and engage in substantive dialogue, many complaints can be resolved.”
When Jeong Il-yeon, chair of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, replied that he would “take the remarks to heart,” Lee said, “I trust you, Chairman. Please do not forget what the public expects.”
Separately, Lee pushed back on online critics who objected to his publicizing police achievements, saying, “That’s the president’s job.”
He explained, “I inform the public about what the police do well, praise and encourage officers who worked hard, and help ensure that people who are unaware do not become involved in these crimes.”
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