The next day, Lee Jae-myung, deputy spokesman for the presidential office, also said in a local radio interview: "The essence of the problem (that we deem serious) is (an attempt) to denigrate an ally, not just the use of slang."

Park Soo-hyun, a former senior presidential secretary for public relations under the Moon Jae-in administration, said: "If President Yoon Suk-yeol apologizes, all problems will be solved, but the situation is getting bigger as he continues to explain and not apologize."