Yoon Meets Former President Park Geun-hye... Message to Unite Conservatives
Cho Kuk, Who Published a Book, Scheduled to Meet Moon on November 9
President Yoon Suk-yeol met with former President Park Geun-hye on the 26th at the 44th anniversary memorial service for former President Park Chung-hee's passing, while on the same day, former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk announced a meeting with former President Moon Jae-in.
On the morning of the same day, Cho shared on his Facebook the news of a book signing event for the author of "Dike's Tears," scheduled for 2 p.m. on the 9th of next month at Pyeongsan Bookstore. "Dike's Tears" is a book published by Cho at the end of August, and Pyeongsan Bookstore is operated by former President Moon near his residence in Yangsan, Gyeongnam.
Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk visited Pyeongsan Village in Habuk-myeon, Yangsan-si, Gyeongnam on June 10 and met with former President Moon Jae-in. [Image source=Former Minister Cho's Facebook, Yonhap News]
With rumors of Cho's candidacy in the general election circulating, political circles are expected to focus on the message emerging from the meeting between the two.
After visiting former President Moon on June 10, Cho also took on the role of bookstore keeper at Pyeongsan Bookstore. At that time, Cho announced the visit on Facebook, stating he would "walk the 'roadless road' without a map or compass," which was interpreted as a prelude to his candidacy in the general election.
On the same day, President Yoon met with former President Park Geun-hye. It was the first meeting in one year and five months since Yoon's inauguration ceremony in May last year.
President Yoon attended the 44th anniversary memorial service for former President Park Chung-hee at the National Seoul National Cemetery, becoming the first sitting president to do so, and praised his achievements in industrialization, to which former President Park Geun-hye responded with a smile.
After the official ceremony ended, President Yoon visited the tomb of former President Park Chung-hee together with former President Park Geun-hye. Images were released showing the two smiling and shaking hands, as well as conversing while moving after paying respects at the tomb.
In the political sphere, amid rumors of defections and the formation of new parties by anti-Yoon factions such as former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min and former party leader Lee Jun-seok, this is seen as a move to consolidate conservative forces.
It is unusual for a sitting president to attend the memorial service for former President Park Chung-hee. Since President Yoon was involved in the investigation of Park Geun-hye's administration's corruption scandal, there had been a strained relationship between the two, which has drawn attention to this meeting.
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