'Nationwide 250,000 Won Support Fund' Key Agenda
Possibility of Special Prosecutor Law Proposal by Chaesangbyeong and Kim Geonhui
President Yoon Suk-yeol and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, are scheduled to hold their first meeting this week at the Yongsan Presidential Office, with reports indicating that behind-the-scenes discussions are underway regarding the agenda and specific format of the talks.
The top priority issue that Lee is expected to bring to the table is 'livelihood.' Previously, Lee had requested meetings eight times since President Yoon's inauguration to discuss 'resolving livelihood difficulties.'
The core of the livelihood agenda is likely to be the '250,000 KRW per person nationwide' livelihood recovery support fund, which Lee has repeatedly advocated around the April 10 general election.
A total budget of approximately 13 trillion KRW will be allocated for this support fund, which will be distributed as local currency. To this end, the Democratic Party has requested the government and ruling party to prepare a supplementary budget.
Two days ago, at an event titled 'Meeting with Party Members,' Lee announced the successful arrangement of the meeting with President Yoon and mentioned, "We also need to discuss the issue of nationwide disaster relief funds when we meet (with President Yoon) this time."
Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Additionally, issues such as the medical service gap caused by the conflict over the 'increase in medical school quotas,' the special law on jeonse fraud, and the second Grain Management Act are also expected to be brought to the discussion table.
In political circles, attention is focused on whether Lee will raise special investigation bills that the ruling party has strongly opposed, including the 'special investigation bill on alleged interference in the investigation of the death of Marine Corps Corporal Chae,' which is scheduled for passage in the May extraordinary session, as well as the 'special investigation bill on allegations of stock price manipulation involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee,' which the Democratic Party plans to reintroduce in the 22nd National Assembly. Some speculate that, given the difficulty in arranging this summit, sensitive topics might be strategically avoided.
It will also be noteworthy to see what remarks Lee makes regarding the appointment of the new Prime Minister and Chief of Staff of the Presidential Office.
Recently, when former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun and former Democratic Research Institute Director Yang Jeong-cheol, both affiliated with the Democratic Party, were mentioned as candidates for Prime Minister and Chief of Staff respectively, Lee expressed displeasure, calling it a "coordinated attack disguised as cooperation."
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