Handonghun "Welcomes Lee Jaemyung's Proposal for a Leaders' Meeting"... Moves to Secure Policy Leadership (Comprehensive)

Handonghun "Must Deliver Tangible Results on Livelihood Issues"
Likely to Discuss Agenda Including Financial Investment Tax and Special Prosecutor Law for Cha Sang-byeong
Emphasizes Ruling and Opposition Cooperation and Party-Government Consultations to Assert Presence

Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, said on the 19th that he "greatly welcomes" Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea's proposal for a two-party leaders' meeting and urged to quickly set the time and place.

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Han said, "I congratulate the election of the new leader Lee Jae-myung." He added, "I hope that through the leaders' meeting, the ruling and opposition parties can produce substantial results on various pending livelihood issues," and "I look forward to frank discussions on various agendas."

After securing his re-election at the Democratic Party's national convention the day before, Lee proposed bilateral talks to President Yoon Suk-yeol and Han, respectively. To Han, he suggested discussing the 'Special Prosecutor Act on Chae Sang-byeong' and the 'revival of district party organizations' through the meeting.

Han has been emphasizing bipartisan cooperation for livelihood policies day after day, showing efforts to secure policy leadership. After the Democratic Party's national convention the previous day, Han posted on Facebook titled "Congratulations on Leader Lee's election" and stated, "There is no distinction between ruling and opposition parties in front of livelihood issues," and "I want to engage in politics of grand cooperation for livelihood with Leader Lee."

Referring to the abolition of the financial investment income tax, which has been emphasized as a livelihood policy since the People Power Party's national convention until now, Han stressed, "I will meet soon to discuss urgent livelihood issues in detail." Since Lee has also voiced differentiated positions from the existing Democratic Party policies, such as easing the comprehensive real estate tax (Comprehensive Real Estate Holding Tax) and financial investment income tax while declaring his re-election bid, discussions between the two leaders seem possible.

Moreover, at the Supreme Council meeting of the People Power Party that day, Han announced the establishment of a tentative 'Special Committee on Gap Reduction' to address disparity issues in various fields such as education, culture, regions, and assets, stating, "We will equally prioritize and implement policies that grow the pie and policies that reduce disparities."

Gwak Gyu-taek, chief spokesperson of the People Power Party, told reporters that "(in a closed meeting, Han) said that the Special Committee on Gap Reduction will be included in the party's future goals and government policies," and explained, "This is a difference from the Democratic Party's plan to distribute a uniform cash payment of 250,000 won."

Handonghun, the leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held on the 19th at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@

Not only bipartisan cooperation but also party-government consultations have been intensified. Although Han cannot directly propose bills as he is not a member of the National Assembly, it appears to be a strategic move to actively exert influence on policies within the party and government as the ruling party leader.

At the high-level party-government consultation held for the first time since his inauguration at the Prime Minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Han emphasized the role of the party and government, saying, "The strength of the government and ruling party lies in the synergy that can be created when administrative power and politics combine. It is time to demonstrate that synergy in livelihood issues and show our capabilities."

He particularly raised his voice, saying, "I believe the public is greatly fatigued by the opposition party's repeated impeachment and special prosecutor offensives as if they were ordinary daily occurrences," and "We must firmly confront such offensives, but now the real battlefield where the public evaluates the government and ruling party will be livelihood policies."

Newly appointed leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jae-myung, and the new leadership members paid tribute at the National Cemetery on the 19th. Leader Lee is offering incense in front of the Memorial Tower. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

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