On the 31st, as President Yoon Suk-yeol visited the National Assembly to deliver the policy speech on next year's government budget and attended a pre-discussion meeting with the five key figures, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, also participated, marking the first communication since the government was launched. However, the opposition's response is uncertain about whether this will open the door to communication, as it is not a one-on-one meeting and the conversation time is short.
Democratic Party lawmaker Jang Kyung-tae said on KBS's 'Choi Kang Sisa' that "this meeting is not a breakthrough for communication and cooperation but rather a gathering hosted by the Speaker of the National Assembly inviting the five key figures, so it is a conversation that does not reflect the president's will at all," and called it a "simple meeting far from communication."
Since the launch of the government, President Yoon and Leader Lee have not had any meetings for communication except for a few official occasions. Leader Lee has consistently requested a summit meeting, but the presidential office has not accepted it. Recently, the Democratic Party proposed a three-party meeting including Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, but the presidential office showed a reserved attitude toward this as well.
Despite having the first communication opportunity since the new government with the five key figures in a short pre-discussion meeting, Lawmaker Jang does not attach much significance to it for this very reason.
Regarding Leader Lee's attendance, he said, "Since the leader said he would attend, and especially since the five key figures are coming, it is more of a matter of attendance," adding, "We also naturally participate in the constitutional order of the Republic of Korea. Showing this is more respectful to the people." He emphasized 'participation in the constitutional order' rather than communication.
Lawmaker Jang pointed out that meaningful communication is unlikely due to the short conversation time. He said, "When President Yoon went to the U.S., he met President Biden for 48 seconds, and the media reported it as a Korea-U.S. summit," adding, "There was concern that it was just a chance to see each other's faces, and there was worry that people might say there was a conversation just based on that."
Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ju-min also said on YTN's 'News King with Park Ji-hoon' that "It is true that our leader is attending the pre-discussion. However, this pre-discussion is very short," and "It is a meeting with several participants. It is a very dependent and formal occasion, so it will be difficult to discuss topics like the possibility of a summit or a three-party meeting, as the host just mentioned."
The Democratic Party argues that the presidential office must show willingness for communication. Democratic Party lawmaker Ko Min-jung pointed out on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' that "I do not think the meeting at the National Assembly substitutes for the meeting between the president and the opposition leader that has not been held so far," adding, "because the TPO (time, place, occasion) often mentioned by the presidential office does not fit."
She continued, "Since the president came to the National Assembly, there is no particular reason to oppose the meeting, so it is happening, but I still think it is necessary for the presidential office to politely invite the opposition leader and have a meeting."
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