Preparatory Meeting Ahead of Yoon-Lee Summit... Including Livelihood Policies on the Agenda (Comprehensive)

Presidential Office "Meeting Schedule to Be Discussed Again Later"

President Yoon Suk-yeol personally introduced Hong Cheol-ho, the new Senior Secretary for Political Affairs of the Presidential Office, at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 19th, a first working-level discussion was held regarding the proposed summit meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

On the 23rd, the Presidential Office announced that Cheon Jun-ho, chief secretary to the Democratic Party leader, and Hong Cheol-ho, senior secretary for political affairs at the Presidential Office, held a preparatory meeting around 2 p.m.

In a press release that afternoon, the Presidential Office spokesperson stated, "Chief Secretary Cheon and Senior Secretary Hong agreed to broadly discuss urgent livelihood issues that need policy solutions and important national affairs related to the agenda," adding, "The schedule for the summit between President Yoon and Leader Lee will be discussed again later."

At the first working-level meeting that day, the Presidential Office was represented by Senior Secretary Hong and Political Secretary Cha Soon-oh, while the Democratic Party was represented by Chief Secretary Cheon and Political Planning Director Kwon Hyuk-ki. The meeting lasted about 40 minutes.

Director Kwon also said in a press release, "We discussed candidly making urgent livelihood issues and important national affairs the agenda for the main summit," and explained, "The second preparatory meeting will be held again after both the Democratic Party and the Presidential Office review their respective preparations."

Earlier, both sides had planned to hold the first preparatory meeting the previous day, but it was postponed at the request of the Presidential Office due to the replacement of the senior secretary for political affairs, and was held on this day instead.

After the meeting, Director Kwon told reporters, "Due to the nature of the preparatory meeting, I cannot provide detailed information about the agenda," and did not answer questions about which livelihood issues were discussed. However, he added, "The atmosphere was serious," and "It was not a place to debate pros and cons or approval."