Yoon and Han Confirm Differences in 80-Minute Meeting... 'Reconciling Disagreements' as Top Task for Party and Government (Comprehensive)

Private Talk Format Attended by Chief Secretary Jeong Jin-seok
Listening to President Yoon's Opinions on South Korea's Demands
Finding Common Ground on First Lady Kim Keon-hee's Issues Not Easy

President Yoon Suk-yeol is meeting and conversing with Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, on the lawn in front of the fine glass at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul on the 21st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, met in Yongsan on the afternoon of the 21st and discussed national issues for about 80 minutes, but reaffirmed their differences in position. Initially, there was hope among some quarters that President Yoon and Leader Han would put their heads together to find a solution to the suspicions surrounding First Lady Kim Geon-hee, but it is reported that they ultimately failed to narrow their sharp differences. As both sides ran on parallel tracks, overcoming low approval ratings and redefining the party-government relationship remain ongoing challenges.

The Presidential Office stated that President Yoon and Leader Han met at 'Pine Grass,' an outdoor garden in front of the Yongsan Presidential Office building, to exchange views on major national issues. The meeting, which began around 4:54 p.m., lasted 81 minutes until 6:15 p.m. This was the first meeting between President Yoon and Leader Han in about two and a half months since a private meeting lasting about 90 minutes on July 30, attended by Chief Secretary Jeong.

After getting out of the car, President Yoon shook hands with Leader Han and continued their conversation while taking a walk together for about 10 minutes on the Pine Grass lawn near the children's garden. The walk was attended by aides including Chief Secretary Jeong Jin-seok and Hong Cheol-ho, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Presidential Office, so it was not a private meeting between President Yoon and Leader Han.

President Yoon explained that the meeting, originally scheduled for 4:30 p.m., was delayed due to a reception with David Lammy, the British Foreign Secretary, and also mentioned a phone call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that afternoon.

Moving inside Pine Grass, President Yoon began the meeting with Leader Han in the presence of Chief Secretary Jeong. At the tea table, under President Yoon's instruction, zero-calorie cola, which Leader Han likes, was served. Sitting down, President Yoon continued the conversation by saying, "Our Leader Han Dong-hoon," but it is reported that the warm atmosphere did not last long. Although there was consensus that the party and government must overcome the current crisis, differences over solutions to the First Lady Kim issue persisted, making it difficult to find common ground.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is having a conversation with Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, in front of the Fine Glass at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul on the 21st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Leader Han directly proposed three demands as solutions to resolve the First Lady Kim issue: personnel reshuffle within the Presidential Office, suspension of the First Lady's external activities, and efforts to clarify the suspicions surrounding her. He also requested the appointment of a special inspector, a position currently vacant. Additionally, Park Jeong-ha, Leader Han's secretary, told reporters at the National Assembly that Leader Han conveyed that public sentiment and opinion have recently worsened, urging bold changes and reforms in Yongsan, and expressed the need for the prompt launch of a 'ruling-opposition-parliament-government consultative body' to address legislative conflicts. President Yoon is reported to have mainly listened to Leader Han's opinions.

However, when asked about President Yoon's response to Leader Han's demands, Secretary Park replied, "I was not present and only received the leader's verbal account, so I cannot answer," adding, "It is inappropriate to convey the President's words." Leader Han, who had initially planned to hold a briefing after the meeting, went home immediately after the meeting, reflecting the delicate atmosphere. The Presidential Office, which had planned to issue a separate written briefing through a spokesperson, also canceled the written briefing plan. In response to repeated questions from reporters about the meeting results, the Presidential Office delivered a brief statement saying, "We agreed to unite the party and government to prevent constitutional violations and ensure the government's success."

A ruling party official said, "President Yoon and Leader Han exchanged views on the suspicions and solutions surrounding the First Lady Kim, but given the sharp differences in positions, they probably could not reach a conclusion. The significance lies in the fact that the President and party leader tried to find common ground through the meeting, and narrowing the differences will be the biggest task for the party and government going forward."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party criticized the meeting between President Yoon and Leader Han, saying, "The last hope of the people focused on the meeting between the President and the ruling party leader, which ended without any results, was coldly ignored."