Moon-Yoon Meeting Postponed... "Practical Discussions Not Yet Concluded" (Comprehensive)

Cheong Wa Dae-Insoo Committee Clash Over 'Albakgi Personnel Appointments'
Former President Lee Myung-bak's Pardon Issue Also 'Sensitive'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The meeting between President Moon Jae-in and President-elect Yoon Seok-youl, which was scheduled to take place on the 16th, has been postponed.

Park Kyung-mi, the Blue House spokesperson, stated on the day, "The meeting between President Moon and President-elect Yoon, which was scheduled for today, has been postponed as the practical consultations have not been completed, and a new schedule will be arranged."

She added, "Consultations at the practical level will continue." However, the Blue House did not specify which parts of the consultations remain unfinished.

Originally, President Moon and President-elect Yoon were to hold a meeting without aides over lunch at Sangchunjae in the Blue House at 12 noon on the day.

In particular, at this meeting, President-elect Yoon was expected to request a pardon for former President Lee Myung-bak. Discussions were also anticipated to cover the supplementary budget (Chugyeong) to support self-employed individuals affected by COVID-19, as well as overall national affairs including North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, it was uncertain whether President Moon would accept President-elect Yoon's request for a pardon. The possibility of a "package pardon" including Governor Kim Kyung-soo of Gyeongnam was also raised. The Blue House maintained the position that "pardons are the exclusive authority of the president."

Attention was also drawn to whether the power struggle over personnel between the Blue House and the transition team affected the practical consultations. As controversies arose over the Moon administration's "entrenchment personnel appointments" in public enterprises near the end of its term, the transition team requested personnel consultations. In response, the Blue House retorted, "Until May 9 is the term of the Moon Jae-in administration, and it is natural to exercise the personnel authority granted during the term," intensifying the tension.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.