On March 27, 2026, the ongoing feud between Lee Jun-seok, leader of South Korea’s Reform New Party, and right-wing YouTuber Jeon Han-gil (real name Jeon Yu-gwan) reached a new peak. Lee declared on his social media that he would pursue additional legal action against Jeon for spreading persistent rumors about the legitimacy of Lee’s Harvard University degree—a controversy that has simmered for years but boiled over in recent months.
At the heart of the dispute is Jeon Han-gil’s repeated allegation, broadcast on his popular YouTube channel, that Lee never graduated from Harvard or that his credentials are somehow fraudulent. According to Herald Economy, Lee fired back on his SNS account, writing, “Jeon Yu-gwan is running out of time before facing legal consequences, so he’s just piling up more charges with reckless talk.” Lee didn’t mince words, comparing Jeon’s tactics to those of the notorious ‘Tajinyo’ movement—a group that, years ago, relentlessly hounded musician Tablo with conspiracy theories about his Stanford degree.
Lee Jun-seok’s frustration was palpable. Over the years, he’s been asked to prove his academic credentials time and again. “When I show a document, they say it’s forged. When I submit an official certificate from the issuing agency, they demand something else. Even when the police confirm it directly with Harvard, they say they can’t trust the police,” Lee posted, as quoted by Daegu Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation. He emphasized that this cycle of disbelief has persisted through both the Yoon Seok-yeol and Lee Jae-myung administrations, governments not particularly friendly to him, yet both produced the same official confirmation.
To demonstrate transparency, Lee attached his Harvard graduation certificate to his SNS post. He also revealed that he’d offered to verify his alumni status in person by logging into the Harvard alumni website in front of Jeon, but Jeon refused. Instead, Jeon demanded an “apostille”—an internationally recognized document authentication—despite Lee’s repeated disclosures since 2012. “On YouTube, they shout ‘Why won’t he disclose it?’ as if I’ve never done so, just to make money,” Lee lamented, according to The Hankyoreh.
Jeon Han-gil’s accusations have shifted over time. Initially, he raised suspicions about Lee’s involvement in election fraud, which led Lee to file a defamation lawsuit under the Information and Communications Network Act. The two even faced off in a live YouTube debate on February 27, 2026, sparring over claims of election misconduct. But when those arguments failed to gain traction, Jeon pivoted to Lee’s academic background, questioning whether Lee had properly graduated from Harvard, or even entered the institution legitimately. On March 23, 2026, Jeon aired fresh doubts on his channel, prompting Lee to warn that “there will be no leniency” and that stronger legal action was imminent.
Lee’s exasperation with the cycle of conspiracy and denial was clear. “Repeating ‘Why not disclose?’ among conspiracy theorists is the essence of Jeon’s and Tajinyo’s so-called ‘truth-seeking’,” Lee wrote. He further announced, “I will add the spreading of false information about my inability to disclose the certificate on YouTube as an additional legal charge.” According to MBN, Lee underscored that the National Student Clearinghouse is the legitimate institution for issuing U.S. graduation certificates, directly challenging Jeon’s claims that the documentation was insufficient.
Jeon’s criticisms have been detailed and pointed. He has claimed, for instance, that Lee’s reported SAT score of 1,440 would be too low for Harvard admission, arguing that “usually, you need at least 1,550.” He’s also questioned the feasibility of Lee’s double major in Computer Science and Economics, suggesting that such a combination was impossible at Harvard. Lee, in response, offered to provide the 2007 Harvard academic guide as proof and urged skeptics to “ask AI” whether the double major was allowed, as reported by MBN. “If you’re ignorant, you become bold,” Lee quipped, dismissing Jeon’s accusations as baseless.
The authorities have weighed in. During the investigation into allegations of false information dissemination ahead of the 2024 general election, the Hwaseong Dongtan Police Station officially confirmed that Lee had, in fact, completed a joint concentration in Computer Science and Economics at Harvard. The police, acting through the Ministry of Justice, verified Lee’s credentials directly with the university, according to MBN. Lee emphasized that this confirmation came from agencies under both conservative and progressive governments, making accusations of political bias hard to sustain.
Despite this, Jeon has persisted. He has repeatedly refused offers for direct verification, demanded additional forms of proof, and continued to question Lee’s background on his channel. Lee sees this as a calculated strategy to generate controversy—and, by extension, views and revenue. “On YouTube, they act as if I’ve never disclosed my graduation, just to make money,” Lee wrote, calling out what he sees as a cynical business model built on manufactured doubt.
The public nature of the feud has made it a lightning rod for broader debates about truth, verification, and the role of social media in South Korean politics. Lee’s reference to the ‘Tajinyo’ group is telling: the Tablo controversy, which gripped South Korea in the early 2010s, revealed how persistent internet rumors can damage reputations and fuel public paranoia, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Lee’s critics, like Jeon, insist they are simply asking for transparency; Lee and his supporters see it as a never-ending witch hunt, impervious to facts.
For now, Lee is determined to hold Jeon accountable. “The fact that they spread false information about not being able to disclose the certificate on YouTube itself will be added to the lawsuit,” he stated, according to News1. He expressed hope that “the true nature of these so-called truth-seekers will continue to be revealed.” The legal battle is likely far from over, as both sides seem entrenched and unwilling to back down.
As South Korea heads into another election season, the saga of Lee Jun-seok’s Harvard credentials is more than a personal spat—it’s a window into the country’s ongoing struggle with internet-fueled conspiracy theories and the challenges of public trust in the digital age.