[2024 City Policy Speech] Yoon "Requests National Assembly Cooperation" Lee "Executes Livelihood Policies"... Both Opened Their Remarks for the First Time

Preliminary Meeting Before National Policy Address
Yoon Requests Budget Cooperation from National Assembly
Opposition Listens to Speech According to Agreement

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, met face-to-face on the 31st during the 'Preliminary Talk with the Five Key Figures and Ruling and Opposition Party Leadership' held before the National Assembly's policy speech on the budget proposal. This is the first time the two have met for a conversation since the current administration began.

President Yoon Suk-yeol enters the plenary hall at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 31st to deliver the policy speech on next year's government budget, greeting Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On that day, President Yoon and Lee exchanged greetings at the National Assembly before the policy speech explaining next year's government budget. The preliminary talk is an annual event held just before the policy speech, where the president visiting the National Assembly meets with the five key figures (Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Prime Minister, Chairman of the National Election Commission, and Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection) and the leadership of each party in the Speaker's meeting room, presided over by the Speaker of the National Assembly. Last year, the Democratic Party boycotted the policy speech itself, causing the meeting between the two sides to fail. Until now, President Yoon and Lee have not had separate conversations even when attending government commemorative ceremonies together. They also crossed paths at the August 15 Liberation Day ceremony but only exchanged silent handshakes, and it is known that Lee offered only brief condolences at the funeral of President Yoon's father on the same day.

Attending the preliminary talk that day were Speaker of the National Assembly Kim Jin-pyo, People Power Party leader Kim Ki-hyun, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, and Justice Party leader Lee Jeong-mi.

Speaker Kim Jin-pyo said, "It is the first time that President Yoon, the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, floor leaders, and the five key figures have gathered in one place," adding, "The public is paying close attention to today's meeting." He urged cooperation, saying, "Our economy is very difficult due to high interest rates, high prices, and high oil prices," and "The political circles must set a special determination to solve the people's livelihood economy regardless of party lines."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering the policy speech on the 2024 budget proposal at the National Assembly plenary session hall in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 31st. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

President Yoon responded, "There are many difficult issues to resolve and things that need to be replaced quickly, so I ask for the cooperation of the National Assembly," and added, "The government, having prepared the budget proposal, will faithfully provide any requested materials from the National Assembly at any time."

It was reported that during the subsequent private preliminary talk, President Yoon and Lee spoke about issues related to the people's livelihood.

According to Kwon Chil-seung, chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party, Lee said at the meeting, "The people's livelihood field is very difficult, so government ministries should pay more attention to these points when implementing policies."

Hong Ik-pyo, floor leader of the Democratic Party, told reporters after the talk, "The president spoke about people's livelihood issues, and Leader Lee also ordered measures to address regulations affecting the people's livelihood, as the situation is very difficult."

Justice Party leader Lee Jeong-mi wrote on Facebook after the preliminary talk that she requested three things from President Yoon: "an apology to the victims' families of the Itaewon disaster, respect for the National Assembly, and bipartisan cooperation." She said, "The president has used the veto power too much so far," and added, "No more vetoes should be used now."

After the preliminary talk, President Yoon entered the plenary session hall of the National Assembly to deliver the policy speech on next year's government budget, totaling 657 trillion won, shaking hands one by one with members of both parties. Entering from the entrance where Leader Lee and Floor Leader Hong were seated, President Yoon first extended his hand to greet Democratic Party members. Most opposition party members stood up to respond to President Yoon's handshake, but some shook hands while seated.

On that day, the opposition party listened attentively to President Yoon's policy speech in accordance with the 'gentlemen's agreement' made on the 25th not to shout or jeer during the policy speech and the speeches of the ruling and opposition party representatives in the plenary session.

Democratic Party lawmakers are holding a silent picket protest in the Rotunda Hall ahead of President Yoon Seok-yeol's policy speech on next year's government budget at the National Assembly on the 31st. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

However, outside the plenary hall on the stairs of the National Assembly rotunda hall, some opposition party members held placards reading "Prioritize the people's livelihood economy" and "Fear the people" while waiting. Kang Sung-hee, a member of the Progressive Party, also held a hand placard inside the plenary hall that read, "What should be cut is not the budget but Yoon (President Yoon Suk-yeol)'s term," and "D-160 We will definitely break it, tears of blood, debt relief for ordinary people."