Yoon-Lee First Summit Meeting Started and Ongoing at Yongsan Presidential Office (Update)

by Seo Sojeong

Published 29 Apr.2024 14:49(KST)

Updated 29 Apr.2024 15:12(KST)

720 Days Since the Inauguration of the Yoon Seok-yeol Government

President Yoon Suk-yeol is shaking hands with Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who arrived at the office during the summit meeting held at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul on the 29th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, held their first meeting at 2 p.m. on the 29th to engage in substantive discussions on current political issues. This is the first such meeting since President Yoon's inauguration in May 2022.

With the president and the leader of the main opposition party opening the door to dialogue, attention is focused on whether this can serve as a stepping stone to regular meetings in the future, establishing a framework for cooperative governance.

According to the Blue House on the 29th, a casual meeting between President Yoon and Lee was underway around 2 p.m. at the Yongsan Presidential Office.

From the Blue House, Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Cheol-ho, and Senior Secretary for Public Relations Lee Do-woon attended, while from the Democratic Party, Policy Committee Chairman Jin Seong-jun, Chief Secretary to the Party Leader Cheon Jun-ho, and Chief Spokesperson Park Seong-jun were present.

President Yoon and Lee reached a consensus to engage in dialogue without restrictions on the agenda, so a broad-ranging conversation is expected. However, their positions sharply diverge on pressing livelihood and political issues on the table, such as the nationwide payment of 250,000 won per person in livelihood support funds and the Special Prosecutor Act concerning allegations of external pressure in the death case of Marine Corps soldier Chae Sang-byeong (Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act).

A Blue House official said, "Both sides plan to have candid discussions on livelihood and political issues," adding, "Depending on the atmosphere of the meeting, there is also the possibility of a private meeting between President Yoon and Lee without other attendees."