Blue House: "President Lee to Host Luncheon with Ruling and Opposition Leaders on the 16th... Hopes People Power Party Will Attend"

Kim Byungwook, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, Briefs the Press
Leadership of Seven Parties Invited on January 9
People Power Party Yet to Respond

Kim Byungwook, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House, is briefing on the schedule of the luncheon meeting with party leadership at the Blue House Chunuchu-gwan on the 12th. Photo by Yonhap News.

President Lee Jaemyung will invite the leadership of both the ruling and opposition parties for a luncheon meeting at the Blue House on January 16.

Kim Byungwook, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House, announced this during a briefing at Chunuchu-gwan on the afternoon of January 12. Kim stated, "This luncheon meeting is intended to mark the New Year by sharing the main directions of state administration and discussing bipartisan cooperation measures for restoring livelihoods and ensuring national stability."

The invitees include the party leaders and floor leaders of the Democratic Party of Korea, the People Power Party, the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, the Progressive Party, the Reform Party, the Basic Income Party, and the Social Democratic Party. The invitation was extended on January 9. However, Kim noted, "The People Power Party has not yet responded to the luncheon invitation." Due to Reform Party leader Lee Junseok’s overseas business trip, only floor leader Chun Haram is expected to attend on behalf of the party.

There will be no restrictions on the topics for discussion at the luncheon meeting. Kim mentioned that it would also be "welcomed" if the People Power Party leadership expresses their positions on issues such as prosecutorial reform or the special prosecutor bill during the meeting. Kim emphasized, "Each party may have different views, and even with the same goals, the processes and procedures may differ, which we fully respect," adding, "We hope they will attend the luncheon meeting."

Kim stated, "Last year was a time of recovery and growth, reviving the collapsed economy and livelihoods," and explained, "This year, we intend to focus the administration’s energy on creating tangible changes that the public can feel and laying the foundation for a major national leap forward, and we will ask for the political community’s cooperation in this regard."

Meanwhile, Kim dismissed concerns about disagreements between the government and the ruling party, responding to the new Democratic Party floor leader Han Byungdo’s comment that there were differences regarding the bills to establish the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Service. Kim said, "I understand that he acknowledged a mistake," and asserted, "There are no differences between the government and the party."