2024-04-30 04:30:24
President Yoon Seok-yeol met with Lee Jae-myeong, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 29th and held his first summit meeting, taking the first step toward cooperative governance. However, a difficult road is expected in future relations between the two parties due to clear differences in positions on each issue.
President Yoon had a meeting with Representative Lee in the form of a tea meeting for about 2 hours and 15 minutes at the Yongsan Presidential Office starting at 2 p.m. on this day.
It has been 720 days since the launch of the Yoon Seok-yeol government that the president and the representative of the main opposition party met. This is the first leadership meeting held in about six years since former President Moon Jae-in and then-Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo met in April 2018.
According to News 1, the President’s Office placed great significance on the meeting itself as it was the first meeting since the inauguration of the government, highlighting President Yoon’s will to actively communicate with the opposition party and accept public sentiment in the general election.
A high-ranking official in the Presidential Office emphasized, “Above all, the most significant significance is that the President and the representative of the main opposition party came together to discuss people’s livelihood issues and pending national affairs for two hours and 15 minutes.”
The explanation is that after the inauguration of the government, contentious bills were pushed through under the leadership of the opposition party and the president repeatedly exercised his right to request reconsideration (the right to veto bills), creating an opportunity for the two sides, who had been at odds, to restore politics and move toward cooperation.
The fact that the President’s Office brought to the fore the fact that both sides shared the same view on medical reform, continuous communication, and prioritizing the people’s livelihood is interpreted as an intention to make clear the process of leading to cooperation rather than confrontation.
However, looking at the detailed agenda discussed at the leadership meeting, it is still unclear whether cooperation can be realized as there is a clear temperature difference between the President’s Office and the Democratic Party.
As for the 250,000 won livelihood recovery support fund for all citizens, which the Democratic Party proposed as a general election pledge, President Yoon euphemistically expressed his rejection, citing prices, interest rates, and financial conditions.
Instead, President Yoon has faithfully implemented the current government’s policies, such as support for small business owners and plans to expand finance for the common people, and has opened up the possibility of discussion on the condition of ‘consultation between the ruling and opposition parties’.
In the case of the Itaewon Disaster Special Act, which President Yoon exercised his veto power on, Representative Lee ‘expressed regret’ and demanded ‘respect for the National Assembly’s decision’, but President Yoon ran a parallel line, pointing out ‘legal issues’.
Representative Lee effectively rejected the ‘ruling and ruling party consultative body’ proposed by President Yoon to discuss the livelihood of the people, insisting on priority consultation between the ruling and opposition parties through the National Assembly.
Regarding the controversy over cuts in national research and development (R&D), Representative Lee argued for restoration within the year through the supplementary budget, but President Yoon adhered to the current government’s policy stance, including exemption from preliminary feasibility studies.
Regarding pension reform, one of the three major reform tasks pursued by the Yoon Seok-yeol government, Representative Lee said, “I would like the government to give direction,” and President Yoon said, “We have already submitted sufficient data to the National Assembly,” so he could not reach a common point. .
In addition, it is reported that President Yoon did not make any special comments regarding the requests made by Representative Lee while reading the statement for about 15 minutes during the closed session: clearing up suspicions surrounding First Lady Kim Kun-hee, changing the diplomatic tone, and conducting special prosecution for Corporal Chae of the Marine Corps.
Park Seong-jun, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, pointed out, “I hope this will be a place where we can find answers to two or three or four pending issues in detail,” adding, “If the next leadership meeting continues, it really should be a place where we can find answers.”
Reporter Kim Jeong-hyun photo provided by the Presidential Office
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2024-04-30 04:30:24