Cheong "Moon-Lee Private Meeting, Not a Single Mention of 'Dae' in Daejangdong... No Talk of Prosecution or Investigation" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] President Moon Jae-in and Lee Jae-myung, the ruling party's top candidate and former governor of Gyeonggi Province, held a tea meeting at the Blue House on the 26th and exchanged greetings. Lee Cheol-hee, the senior secretary for political affairs who attended the meeting, stated that there was no mention of the 'Daejang-dong incident,' in which candidate Lee is suspected of being involved.

When reporters asked whether the Daejang-dong issue came up during the 50-minute tea meeting, the senior secretary replied, "Not even the first syllable 'Dae' of Daejang-dong was mentioned."

Regarding whether real estate was discussed, he said, "There was no special mention of real estate," adding that through prior discussions, "we mutually agreed not to say anything that could be interpreted as election campaigning." He also noted that words like prosecution or investigation were not mentioned at all.

During the private tea meeting, candidate Lee apologized for events that occurred during the past presidential election. When Lee said, "I apologize for being harsh during the last presidential election," President Moon responded, "Now that you have become the top candidate, you must understand how that feels," reciprocating the sentiment.

Additionally, President Moon repeatedly emphasized, "I hope this presidential election becomes a competition of policies; it is essential to compete through policies," and candidate Lee expressed agreement, saying, "There are times when I am surprised at how closely the president's thoughts align with mine."

Candidate Lee also sought common ground between them, saying, "I admire President Roosevelt of the United States the most, and I understand that President Moon also respects President Roosevelt. There must be a common denominator there."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Moon and candidate Lee also shared a unified stance on responding to the climate crisis. The senior secretary conveyed, "'We must take the lead in responding to the climate crisis. Companies may find it difficult and feel uneasy, but it is a path we must take. The government should not leave it solely to companies but should invest and support extensively.' This was a point both the president and the candidate agreed on."

They also agreed on raising the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets. Candidate Lee said, "Raising the NDC is ultimately a path that companies must also follow."

President Moon remarked, "Due to the COVID-19 crisis, digital transformation has accelerated, and the response to the climate crisis is also speeding up. This is a historic moment," adding, "The burden will likely be heavier for the next administration than for the current one." Candidate Lee responded, "I hope I can bear that burden."

The conversation also covered topics beyond policy. Toward the end, candidate Lee shared his goal, saying, "I intend to visit every place without exception during this presidential election." President Moon replied, "I will do my best to ensure that the election proceeds energetically with good quarantine measures, allowing election campaigns to be conducted freely in a somewhat open environment."

Candidate Lee also told President Moon, "It is truly surprising that you maintain an unprecedentedly high approval rating in our democratic political history," to which President Moon smiled and responded, "That's fortunate."

Meanwhile, the opposition parties view the tea meeting between President Moon and candidate Lee negatively. When reporters asked whether President Moon would also meet with opposition candidates, the senior secretary said, "If requested, we will actively consider it."