President Lee Orders "Immediate Action," Jang Donghyuk Says "No Official Proposal"... Will the Meeting Happen?

President Lee Jaemyung has proposed a meeting with Jang Donghyuk, the new leader of the People Power Party, drawing attention to whether the meeting will take place. Although Jang has distanced himself by stating, "I have not received a formal proposal," the prevailing expectation is that he will agree to the meeting after the agenda is clarified.

On August 28, immediately after returning from his visit to the United States and Japan, President Lee instructed his staff to arrange a meeting with Jang without delay. Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the presidential office, said, "After arriving in Seoul today, President Lee immediately gave instructions to Chief Presidential Secretary Woo Sangho."

Yonhap News

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Chief Secretary Woo had visited the National Assembly the previous day to congratulate Jang on his election, conveying, "The President would like to invite you on an appropriate date to discuss the outcomes of the Korea-Japan and Korea-US summits." In response, Jang reportedly said, "A simple meeting is meaningless." While he did not clearly state his intention to attend, it was explained that he emphasized any meeting with the President must be one where the opposition's views are genuinely considered.

On the same day, after a meeting with senior lawmakers, Jang again told reporters that "no separate proposal has been received yet" regarding the possibility of a meeting. Park Sunghoon, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, added, "We have not received any information about the format or agenda," and said, "If an official proposal is made, we will state our position."

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Although Jang has so far avoided giving an immediate answer, the dominant view is that he will eventually accept President Lee's proposal. With the political situation rapidly cooling, the meeting would provide Jang, as the opposition leader, a clear opportunity to assert his presence and communicate his demands. A People Power Party official commented, "Since the new leadership has just been formed, it is difficult to take the initiative on the agenda. For now, they are likely to take some time and consider the issues at hand."

Some voices argue there is no need to respond to a one-sided, showpiece meeting. In June, President Lee held a luncheon with the leaders of both parties, but only confirmed their differences without achieving tangible results. An opposition figure stated, "If the meeting is simply to unilaterally present the outcomes of the summits, there is no need to be a mere backdrop. This is especially true if it is a meeting between the President and party leaders, rather than a formal summit between party heads."

If the meeting takes place, President Lee is expected to be urged to play a pivotal role in breaking the current deadlock between the ruling and opposition parties. There is also speculation that the opposition may call on him to exercise his right to request reconsideration (veto) of contentious bills such as the Yellow Envelope Act (amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act) and the Commercial Act amendment. Song Eonseok, floor leader of the People Power Party, proposed at the party's supreme council meeting on the same day, "Even now, we should form a joint committee for a grand compromise between the ruling and opposition parties, as well as labor and management, to discuss the issues of the Yellow Envelope Act and the Commercial Act amendments in order to create a more rational labor environment."

Meanwhile, spokesperson Kang clarified the nature of the meeting, responding to some in the political sphere who have referred to it as a "summit between party heads." Kang said, "The term 'summit between party heads' was used in the past during an era of authoritarian political culture. Now, we use the term 'meeting between the President and party leadership' to describe this type of gathering."

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