As partisan divisions deepen in South Korean politics, the social media platforms used by rival parties are splitting along the same lines. Figures aligned with the ruling Democratic Party remain active on X, formerly Twitter, where they have built followings over many years, while Threads is emerging as a new channel for the opposition People Power Party.
Former President Moon Jae-in has more than 2.02 million followers on X, according to political sources on the 23rd. Moon has been on the platform since 2011, making him a long-term user. President Lee Jae-myung, who joined in 2010, has more than 1.13 million followers. Both built their influence on X before taking office. Lee has continued to use the platform actively since his inauguration, posting positions on current issues and explaining the intent behind policies outside his official schedule. He has also shared articles critical of government policy and pushed back directly.
Democratic Party lawmakers are also making their presence felt on X with sizable followings. Representatives Park Jie-won and Chung Dong-young each have about 180,000 followers, and Representative Park Beom-kye has about 170,000. Representatives Kim Nam-hee, Kim Nam-jun, Han Jeoung-ae and Kim Young-ho also post on X about their legislative work and views on current issues. Rather than simply sharing legislative accomplishments as in the past, many are now posting videos built around popular memes.
Threads has taken off within the People Power Party. The leading figure is Supreme Council member Kim Min-soo, who has about 110,000 followers. Kim posts criticism of the government and the ruling party while also replying directly to other users' posts. Representatives Joo Jin-woo, Na Kyung-won and Kim Min-jeon have also drawn large followings on Threads. More recently, a clip of Kim Tae-gyu, the People Power Party's chief floor spokesperson, scolding Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok by pointedly calling him only "Mr. Kim Min-seok" instead of using his official title circulated widely on the platform.
On Threads, politicians and supporters can be seen exchanging casual conversation. They post replies using catchphrases or images, and add jokes to posts critical of the ruling camp as a way of showing agreement.
Social media has become a primary publicity tool in politics. Staff at multiple lawmakers' offices said it delivers messages faster and with greater effect than traditional methods. When posts spread through platform algorithms, they can also put a lawmaker's face and name in front of users who normally pay little attention to politics. Lawmakers' offices have recently begun assigning staff dedicated to social media.
Still, there are concerns that the drive to win applause from supporters can push rhetoric to excessive levels. Critics say politicians risk becoming more extreme as they align themselves with a biased subset of users. During the last local elections, the People Power Party's North Chungcheong provincial chapter drew criticism after posting that it would "go to Starbucks tomorrow" while the coffee chain was embroiled in controversy over trivializing the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.
