President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that the government will thoroughly investigate allegations that IKEA Korea demoted an employee and pressured the worker to resign after returning from parental leave, vowing strict action if the allegations are confirmed. "If the allegations are found to be true after a thorough investigation, we will take stern measures in line with international standards," Lee wrote on X, formerly Twitter, as he shared a news report on the case. Lee said some multinational companies regarded as exemplary employers abroad had drawn criticism for adopting opaque management and anti-labor practices only in Korea. "That was during a time when the Korean government pursued anti-labor policies and was tainted by corruption," Lee wrote. "Now that Korea is becoming a model society with a government that leads by example, such outdated management practices cannot be tolerated." He added that just as Korean companies should not engage in anti-labor practices overseas, foreign companies should not do so in Korea. The report alleged that IKEA Korea demoted an executive returnin