Woo Sangho, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Presidential Office, met with Jang Donghyuk, the new representative of the People Power Party, on the 27th and conveyed President Lee Jaemyung's intention to invite him after his trip to the United States. Representative Jang criticized the rejection of the National Human Rights Commission member nomination, which was recommended by the People Power Party, and expressed concerns about the ruling party's prosecution reform efforts.
Representative Jang stated that simply meeting with the President held little significance, and protested the rejection of the National Human Rights Commission member nomination, which had been recommended by the People Power Party but was voted down in the plenary session due to opposition from the Democratic Party of Korea.
Woo Sangho, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Presidential Office (left), is visiting Jang Donghyuk, the new representative of the People Power Party, at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 27th, delivering a congratulatory flower basket sent by President Lee Jae-myung. Photo by Yonhap News
During his congratulatory visit to Representative Jang at the National Assembly, Senior Secretary Woo said, "The President places great importance on dialogue with the opposition party, and is willing to cooperate on matters that require collaboration, as well as to pursue cooperative governance at the government level where necessary." He added, "I will listen carefully to your remarks and relay them to the President so that they can be reflected in state affairs."
After receiving the congratulatory flower basket from the President, Representative Jang remarked, "Unfortunately, while the Senior Secretary was bringing the flower basket, a 'crisis' (난, 亂) occurred in the plenary session today, as the nomination for the National Human Rights Commission member recommended by the People Power Party was rejected." He added, "Cooperative governance is not about dividing the pie, but about expanding it."
While expressing his willingness to cooperate as an opposition party, he emphasized, "If unilateral legislation continues and, as seen today, the balance of power between the ruling and opposition parties in the composition of institutions established under the Constitution and the law is broken, it will ultimately put the Republic of Korea at risk." He was referring to the rejection of the National Human Rights Commission member nominations recommended by the People Power Party at the National Assembly plenary session that afternoon.
Representative Jang also expressed concerns regarding the prosecution reform being pushed by the ruling party, stating, "If the related bills are rushed through without due process, the very foundation of the judicial system that the Republic of Korea has built over many years could be undermined."
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