Yoon-Lee Summit Postponed to Next Week... Difficulties in Coordinating Key Agenda Items

Differences in Views on '250,000 Won Payment and Chaesangbyeong Special Prosecutor Law'
Presidential Office "Needs Time" VS Lee Jae-myung "Accepts Special Prosecutor"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is responding to reporters' questions regarding current issues, including a summit meeting with Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, after introducing Jeong Jin-seok, a member of the People Power Party, who was appointed as the new Chief Presidential Secretary, at a personnel briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the 22nd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The first summit meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is expected to be postponed to next week as difficulties have arisen from the agenda setting, including the '250,000 KRW per person livelihood recovery support fund' and the 'Marine Corps Cha Sang-byeong special prosecutor law.' On the surface, both sides emphasize an open attitude, stating they will not limit the agenda. However, there are clear differences in views on the core issues.

According to the Blue House and the National Assembly, the first working-level discussion on the summit meeting proposed by President Yoon to Lee on the 19th was held for about 40 minutes around 2 p.m. the previous day. It is known that the tension was intense. As a prelude to this, Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader and acting head of the People Power Party, requested focusing on more productive agendas rather than the '250,000 KRW per person for all citizens.' On the other hand, the Democratic Party proposed that the livelihood recovery support fund must be included as a major agenda item.

A Blue House official expressed frustration over the opposition's demand for an additional supplementary budget, saying it "does not align with the government's stance emphasizing fiscal soundness." Accordingly, there is cautious speculation that the amount of the livelihood recovery support fund or selective support may become a reality.

The 'special prosecutor law on the alleged external pressure in the Marine Corps Cha Sang-byeong death case' is also an unavoidable core agenda for confrontation. The Democratic Party is strongly pushing that if an agreement is reached regarding the Cha Sang-byeong special prosecutor, they will not separately mention the 'Kim Geon-hee special law.' At a supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Lee Jae-myung said, "Two out of three citizens support the Marine Corps special prosecutor," urging, "The Blue House and the ruling party should accept the special prosecutor."

Another Blue House official said, "Even looking at past summit meeting cases, it took some time to set the agenda," adding, "We are approaching the coordination with an open attitude." Previously, at the request of President Moon Jae-in, a summit meeting with Hong Joon-pyo, then leader of the Liberty Korea Party, was held in April 2018, 21 days after Hong expressed willingness to accept. President Lee Myung-bak accepted the summit meeting proposal from Democratic Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu on June 13, 2011, and the summit was held 14 days later on the 27th.