Democrats: "Presidential Office Rejects Lee Jae-myung's Proposal for Pension Reform Summit... Regrettable"

Cheon Junho Lee Representative Secretary Office Contact at the Presidential Office

The Democratic Party of Korea announced that its leader, Lee Jae-myung, proposed a summit meeting to the Presidential Office on the 24th regarding pension reform, but it was effectively rejected.

On the same day, Cheon Jun-ho, chief secretary to the party leader, said in a briefing on the summit meeting at the National Assembly in the afternoon, "We contacted Hong Cheol-ho, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, but received a response that 'It is not appropriate for the president to engage in talks with both ruling and opposition parties before the National Assembly reaches a conclusion first.'"

Cheon added, "It is very regrettable that despite the long discussions and public deliberation process at the National Assembly's Special Committee on Pension Reform, and the proposal to finalize it during the 21st National Assembly, it was effectively rejected."

When asked whether they would propose a summit meeting again at the opening of the 22nd National Assembly regarding pension reform, he said, "For now, the 21st National Assembly still has time left. The Special Committee on Pension Reform was established to resolve this issue as the 21st National Assembly convened, and many discussions have taken place," adding, "Although only a few days remain, I believe the ruling and opposition parties should put their heads together and conclude this through in-depth discussions."

Earlier that morning, Leader Lee proposed at the Supreme Council meeting, "If there is a will to reform the pension system, the president and the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties should meet within a 1% range, or the president and the Democratic Party leader should meet?any method should be mobilized to reach an agreement."

Lee pointed out, "When the government unofficially proposed 45%, the Democratic Party was advocating for 50%," and "The Democratic Party is currently proposing 45%, but it is undesirable to continue neglecting this critical issue over a 1% difference or to pass it on to the 22nd National Assembly."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 24th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@