Lee Jae-myung: "Unification with Ahn is not true... I also view the parliamentary system negatively"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, attended the discussion "Nth Room, Digital Sex Crime Tracking Chronicle" held on the 9th at the Future Party headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, aimed at eradicating digital sex crimes. He held a discussion with Park Ji-hyun, vice chairwoman of the Women's Committee and the first reporter of the Nth Room case, and Jung Chun-sook, chairwoman of the Women's Committee. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, denied on the 9th reports suggesting a unification proposal with Ahn Cheol-soo, the candidate of the People’s Party, saying it is "not true."

After the National Life Safety Promise Ceremony held in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Council on the same day, Lee told reporters, "When I saw that report, I thought, 'Oh, are they doing something like this? I didn’t even know about it,'" adding, "As far as I know, it is not true."

When asked by reporters whether he had any concerns about unification, he replied, "Of course I have concerns."

One media outlet reported on the same day, citing a key figure from Lee’s camp, that Lee’s side conveyed their willingness to unify along with a political reform plan including a parliamentary system constitutional amendment to Ahn’s side.

Regarding the parliamentary system constitutional amendment, Lee said, "I am not very positive about whether the public can currently accept a parliamentary system that effectively transfers all national responsibilities to the National Assembly," and added, "So I don’t understand the report that said I proposed a parliamentary system constitutional amendment."

He continued, "I have already stated several times that the next elected president should accept a one-year reduction in the term and amend the constitution to a four-year two-term system, while decentralizing power, strengthening local autonomy and fundamental rights, codifying national responsibility for environmental and climate crisis response, and sequentially implementing what can be agreed upon."

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