'Myeongnak Hoedong' Fails... Lee Holds 'Chain Meetings' with Former Prime Ministers Excluding Lee Nak-yeon

Lee Attends 'Kim Dae-jung on the Road' Screening on 18th Afternoon
Former Leader Lee Nak-yeon Attends in Evening, Schedules Clash
Former PMs Kim Boo-kyum on 20th, Chung Sye-kyun on 28th Meetings
Strong Criticism of 'Lee Nak-yeon New Party' Within Party

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and former leader Lee Nak-yeon, who officially announced the formation of a new third-party, were expected to meet at a film preview scheduled for the 18th, but the meeting fell through due to conflicting schedules. Although the so-called 'Myeong-Nak meeting' between Lee and Lee was canceled, Lee plans to hold a series of separate meetings with former Prime Ministers Kim Boo-kyum and Chung Sye-kyun. Amid growing criticism within the party over Lee Nak-yeon's new party, there is analysis that Lee Jae-myung is actively moving to check him.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee attended the VIP preview of 'Kim Dae-jung on the Road' held at Yongsan CGV in Seoul at 2 p.m. on the same day. Former leader Lee Nak-yeon was also invited to the preview but planned to attend the screening at 7 p.m. due to scheduling reasons. Some expected that Lee and Lee would meet and exchange opinions regarding the future 'new party formation,' which might have eased the escalating internal party conflicts, but with the meeting canceled, the possibility of a gathering has further diminished.

Lee is expected to meet former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, who also expressed intention to attend the same preview. Separately, a separate meeting is being planned for the 20th. Additionally, Lee is scheduled to meet former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on the 28th. On the previous day, Chief Spokesperson Kwon Chil-seung said, "We are coordinating the final schedule," and added, "We hope the elders will speak for party unity." Lee is expected to discuss current issues such as electoral reform and Lee Nak-yeon's new party formation with the two former prime ministers.

There is an assessment that Lee may be trying to isolate former leader Lee Nak-yeon, who aims to form a new party in alliance with the two former prime ministers. As time passes, voices of criticism within the party regarding the 'Lee Nak-yeon new party' are growing louder.

On the same day, the Democratic Party's external innovation body, the Democratic Party National Innovation Council, held a press conference at the National Assembly and stated, "We define former leader Lee Nak-yeon's new party formation as an act that denies the history and democratic procedures of the Democratic Party and strongly condemn it." Earlier, when rumors of the 'new party formation' surfaced, they also urged Lee to retire from politics.

The Democratic Party National Innovation Council criticized the reasons Lee Nak-yeon gave for forming a new party as incomprehensible. They said, "He claims the reason for forming a new party is political polarization, but during his tenure as leader and afterward, he never once suggested solving the political polarization problem," adding, "If the reason is to leave politics due to exhaustion, that might be understandable, but it is hard to justify forming a new party." They explained that the reason of 'political polarization' for forming a new party appears to be a false pretext to hide Lee's political ambitions. They emphasized that it is Lee Jae-myung who is the force trying to change the current polarized politics through dialogue, compromise, and coexistence.

They continued, "Since Lee took office, to restore people's livelihoods from the tyranny of the Yoon Seok-youl administration, the four opposition parties, including the Justice Party, Basic Income Party, and Progressive Party, have steadily cooperated legislatively and proposed eight summit meetings to President Yoon," and argued, "The responsibility for political polarization lies with President Yoon Seok-youl and the People Power Party, who treat the leader of the main opposition party as a serious criminal." They further criticized, "Without presenting any political values or vision to the public, only the claim of 'anti-Lee' is visible," and condemned, "The new party formation without any political justification or basis is ultimately Lee Nak-yeon's vain political ambition."

Democratic Party first-term lawmakers Kang Deuk-gu, Kang Jun-hyun, and Lee So-young have been collecting joint signatures from party members since the 14th to dissuade Lee Nak-yeon from pursuing the new party. Various lawmakers regardless of faction have signed, with about 100 signatures reportedly collected so far. They plan to hold a press conference as early as this week to announce a statement opposing Lee Nak-yeon's new party formation.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 15th, 'The Better Future,' the largest lawmakers' group within the Democratic Party, also publicly demanded at a press conference, "Former leader Lee should not plunge the Democratic Party into crisis by forming a new party but should take the lead in judging the Yoon Seok-youl administration. We ask him to withdraw the declaration of new party formation."

As opposition to the 'Lee Nak-yeon new party' spreads, there are calls for Lee Jae-myung to meet Lee Nak-yeon directly and show a path toward unity.

Lawmaker Park Yong-jin wrote on Facebook that day, "While criticizing the push for a new party that symbolizes division, I cannot agree with the leadership's passive attitude of just watching the process of division unfold." Park urged, "Lee should meet with Lee Nak-yeon and immediately meet the four members of the 'Principles and Common Sense' faction," and added, "Please do not see the voices of Lee Nak-yeon and 'Principles and Common Sense' only as a framework of division but view them from the perspective of concern for winning the general election."

Former lawmaker Lee Cheol-hee, who served as the senior secretary for political affairs in the Moon Jae-in administration's Blue House, appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and commented on the joint signatures collected by first-term lawmakers to dissuade Lee Nak-yeon from forming a new party. He said, "If a significant part of the issues raised by Lee Nak-yeon is valid, there should be efforts to accept and resolve them, but instead, they just say 'You were wrong, stop it.' Is that really how you treat a prominent politician in the same party? It seems too exclusionary."

He continued, "What else can you do but tell him to leave? When persuading, you have to make a way for him to return," and emphasized, "Although Lee Nak-yeon is somewhat hasty and lacks justification, the way the party handles this is wrong, and Lee Jae-myung as party leader should step up."

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