'No Meetings Yet' Yoon-Lee Jae-myung, When Will Their First One-on-One Meeting Be?

Yeo: "Opposition Leaders' Meeting Is the Starting Point for Political Restoration"
Some View It as an Opportunity to Untangle the Tangled Political Situation

The reason why political circles are focused on the first meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is intertwined with changes in the political landscape. Since the president's inauguration, the fact that he has never held a bilateral meeting with Lee has been criticized as a 'lack of cooperation.' It means there was no opportunity for the president and the leader of the main opposition party to engage in political negotiations like past summit talks to untangle the complicated political situation.

If a meeting between the president and the leader of the main opposition party is realized, there is hope that the ruling party, opposition, and government, which have been in a strong confrontation over legislation such as the Grain Management Act and the Nursing Act, could open the door to cooperation.

Park Kwang-on, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, emphasized at the Supreme Council meeting on the 8th, "I urge President Yoon Suk-yeol to boldly embark on political restoration," adding, "The first step in political restoration is for President Yoon to engage in dialogue with Leader Lee." He continued, "(The meeting) itself would have the effect of reassuring the public," and suggested, "Starting with a session to explain the results of the Korea-US summit and Korea-Japan summit diplomacy would be a way."

Earlier, on the 2nd, Lee Jin-bok, presidential secretary for political affairs, visited Floor Leader Park to congratulate him on his inauguration and hinted at a meeting between President Yoon and the floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties. However, Floor Leader Park rejected this, saying, "Meeting the party leader first is the proper order."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response to the controversy over 'passing over Lee Jae-myung,' Leader Lee stated, "If meeting the opposition party leader is difficult due to various circumstances, I would not mind meeting the floor leader." However, Floor Leader Park reiterated his refusal, saying, "It is logical and proper for the president to meet the opposition party leader first to discuss ways to overcome the national crisis."

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok also believed that President Yoon should improve relations with Leader Lee for stable governance. In an interview on the 8th with Suncheon KBS Radio's 'Current Affairs Focus, Eastern Jeonnam,' Lee said, "It is important for President Yoon to recognize Leader Lee as a partner with whom he can discuss state affairs to some extent," adding, "If the president or those who need to cooperate with the legislature believe only in what citizens say in the marketplace, it becomes very difficult to resolve relations with the legislature."

He further stated, "Leader Lee is also under investigation due to several criminal charges," but emphasized, "The fact that Democratic Party members and the people who support Leader Lee elected him through democratic procedures as party leader does not change."

Jeong Dae-cheol, a political elder and former five-term lawmaker who is the chairman of the Constitutional Association, also stressed that the president should recognize the opposition party leader as a partner in governance. The Constitutional Association is a group of former lawmakers.

In an interview with Weekly Chosun on the 7th, Chairman Jeong said, "The president is the highest authority in state affairs," and urged, "The president should meet opposition leaders, lawmakers, and civic group leaders." He advised President Yoon, saying, "He should recognize the opposition as a partner and compromise through dialogue," and added, "Even people who do not particularly like Leader Lee find it strange that after almost a year, (President Yoon) has not even met him."

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