Moon Jae-in: "Integration and Inclusion Are Important for the Democratic Party"... Lee Jae-myung "Agrees"

Moon Encourages Lee During Visit
Also Stresses the Need for a Supplementary Budget

Former President Moon Jae-in and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, agreed on the need to demonstrate unity and inclusiveness in an extreme political environment.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (center in the photo), visited Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, Gyeongnam on the 30th to pay a courtesy call on former President Moon Jae-in and is leaving the private residence. Yangsan=Photo by Moon Hye-won

On the last day of the Lunar New Year holiday, the 30th, Lee visited Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, to pay a courtesy call on former President Moon. This was about four months after Lee visited Moon’s residence last September as part of his reappointment as party leader.

Lee and members of the party leadership had a tea meeting with former President Moon for nearly an hour and a half starting at 2 p.m. that day.

Present at the visit were Supreme Council members Jeon Hyun-hee, Han Jun-ho, Lee Eon-ju, and Song Soon-ho; Lee Jae-sung, chairman of the Busan City Party; Lee Seon-ho, chairman of the Ulsan City Party; Lee Hae-sik, chief of the party leader’s secretariat; Kim Tae-seon, chief of the party leader’s executive office; and Cho Seung-rae, chief spokesperson.

After the visit, Chief Spokesperson Cho told reporters, “Former President Moon said that in the current extremely polarized political environment, actions of unity and inclusiveness are very important for opening the path forward for the Democratic Party,” adding, “Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party are showing such inclusive and unifying actions well.”

Cho also conveyed, “Lee strongly agreed with former President Moon’s remarks and responded that he will continue such efforts going forward.”

Regarding the newly launched second term of the Donald Trump administration, former President Moon expressed his opinion that “since there are many personnel, know-how, and wisdom who communicated with the Trump administration, including experiences such as holding summits and mediating North Korea-US talks during his tenure, it would be good to appropriately utilize these not only for the Democratic Party but also at the national level of the Republic of Korea,” Cho said.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (right in the photo), is visiting and having a conversation with former President Moon Jae-in (left) on the 30th at Pyeongsan Village, Yangsan City, Gyeongnam. Democratic Party of Korea Public Relations Office
Photo by Democratic Party of Korea Public Relations Office

Chief Spokesperson Cho also said, “Former President Moon mentioned that, given the already difficult economic situation and the internal unrest, small business owners and ordinary citizens are suffering, so there is a need to prepare a supplementary budget,” adding, “He asked the Democratic Party to actively work on the supplementary budget preparation.”

Regarding the contentious issue of the “supplementary budget (chugyeong) preparation” amid the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties, Lee took a humble stance, saying, “I will not insist on the contents of the supplementary budget and will actively accept the government’s decision,” Cho said.

He also said, “The Democratic Party had actively promoted the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) megacity, but it disappeared after the regime changed following the local elections. Former President Moon said that if the Democratic Party actively considers projects like the Gadeokdo New Airport, it would help the regional development of Bu-Ul-Gyeong.”

In response, Lee said, “Not only that, but Busan will become a kind of starting point for the Arctic route,” and “Therefore, the party will create a vision through pioneering the Arctic route,” Cho conveyed.

However, regarding former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo’s critical remarks toward Lee about party unity on social media the day before, Chief Spokesperson Cho drew a line, saying, “Former President Moon is not someone who represents a faction within the party,” and “As a former president elected by the people, his remarks on the principles of inclusiveness and unity are meant to be fundamental principles and standards, not specific comments on the current situation.”