청 "실무라인서 다 결론낼 수 없어…허심탄회하게 만나자"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] As President Moon Jae-in and President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol are conducting working-level negotiations to resume their meeting, the Blue House expressed the intention to meet frankly without coordination, stating that "not everything can be concluded at the working-level."

On the 22nd, Park Soo-hyun, the Blue House Chief of Public Communication, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Pyo Chang-won's News High Kick' and responded to the host's question, "Although differences may be exposed, shouldn't the President-elect and President Moon meet soon?" by saying, "The two working-level negotiation teams are working closely, but not everything can be concluded there, nor is it likely," expressing this view.

Chief Park said, "As the President said, let's meet frankly without coordination, without conditions, and without attendees," adding, "The Blue House is always open, and that intention is fully contained in that statement, so I hope good coordination will be made to promise that to the public."

With the Blue House putting the brakes on President-elect Yoon's plan to relocate to Yongsan, coordination for the meeting has also been halted. Chief Park emphasized, "As far as I know, no date has been set yet," and added, "Concerns such as security gaps related to the meeting between the President and the President-elect and the office relocation are handled by a different line."

Despite the Blue House's cautious stance, President-elect Yoon's side plans to open the Blue House to the public starting May 10. Regarding this, Chief Park said, "The President-elect does not intend to open the Secretary's Office building but plans to open the Main Building, the State Guest House, the Noksijon, and Sangchunjae," and added, "Those places are currently all open to the public."

He further stated, "Visitors can apply through the system and tour those places, and even during the Moon Jae-in administration, despite COVID-19, 700,000 citizens visited."