Luncheon with Ruling and Opposition Party Leaders After Japan Visit
Dinner Meeting with New Ruling Party Leadership
Meetings with Ruling Party Floor Leadership and "KOSPI 5000 Special Committee" on January 21-22
Repeated Calls for Legislative Cooperation to Achieve the "Great Transformation and Leap Forward for the Republic of Korea"
President Lee Jaemyung is seeking to harness the momentum for his New Year's national agenda of the "Great Transformation and Leap Forward for the Republic of Korea" through the National Assembly. Following a luncheon meeting with the leadership of both the ruling and opposition parties at Sangchunjae in the Blue House, he has continued to meet with the ruling party leadership, the floor leadership, and members of the ruling party's "KOSPI 5000 Special Committee" in succession, signaling an effort to accelerate the legislative process. Since a significant portion of the national agenda depends on legal amendments and institutional reforms, cooperation from the National Assembly is essential.
On January 16, just two days after returning from the Korea-Japan summit, President Lee invited the leadership of various parties-excluding the People Power Party, but including the Democratic Party, the Korea Innovation Party, the Progressive Party, the Reform New Party, the Basic Income Party, and the Social Democratic Party-to a luncheon at Sangchunjae in the Blue House. At the closed-door luncheon, President Lee reportedly focused on "issues affecting people's livelihoods and industry," emphasizing the need for bipartisan cooperation to resolve situations involving Coupang, Homeplus, and GM Korea. Regarding the rationalization of economic criminal penalties, President Lee also urged that "we should recognize the seriousness together and work to improve it," while expressing concern that indiscriminate filibustering (unlimited debate) could delay legal amendments.
On January 19, the "new leadership" of the ruling party headed to the Blue House. President Lee held a dinner at the main building of the Blue House with Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheongrae, newly appointed floor leader Han Byungdo, and other leaders, highlighting the importance of the "party-government-presidency one team" approach. President Lee said, "I wanted to meet the Democratic Party leadership, now complete with the election of the Supreme Council members," and added, "I hope to hear the public sentiment and stories of the world through you frequently." An anecdote was shared where President Lee jokingly asked Jeong, "Are you perhaps anti-Myung (anti-Lee Jaemyung)?" to which Jeong replied, "We are all pro-Myung (pro-Lee Jaemyung) and pro-Cheong (pro-Jeong Cheongrae)."
During the dinner with the new ruling party leadership, the legislative "report card" was discussed. The attending leaders responded that, of the 184 legislative bills related to the national agenda that need to be expedited, only 37 have passed the National Assembly, pledging to focus all their efforts on legislative processing. President Lee and the participants also reportedly exchanged views on responding to the international situation, administrative integration, and follow-up legislation for prosecutorial reform.
President Lee's communication efforts will continue on January 21 and 22. On January 21, he plans to invite the new Democratic Party floor leadership-including floor leader Han Byungdo, chief floor operations officer Chun Junho, chief policy officer Kim Hankyu, and chief communications officer Jeon Yonggi-to the Blue House for a dinner. A Blue House official stated, "Various national agenda items and issues affecting people's livelihoods will be widely discussed." This separate meeting, following the one on January 19, appears to be prompted by the assessment that legislative progress on national agenda items has been slower than expected and thus requires review.
President Lee's frustration with the legislative pace was also evident at the Cabinet meeting on January 20. When legislation related to industrial accident prevention failed to gain momentum, President Lee asked Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon, "Is it impossible if the opposition is against it?" and added, "Isn't the lack of progress due to insufficient competence? Try pleading even more earnestly with the National Assembly." Eradicating industrial accidents is an issue President Lee has frequently raised since taking office, but as progress has been slow, he publicly called for more proactive efforts.
On January 22, President Lee invited members of the Democratic Party's "KOSPI 5000 Special Committee" to the Blue House. With the KOSPI index surpassing the 4,900 mark for the first time in history and the target of 5,000 now within sight, this meeting is meant to express gratitude for the committee's efforts to support campaign pledges through legislative measures such as amendments to the Commercial Act. At this meeting, President Lee is also expected to share his thoughts on follow-up legislation to support the "KOSPI 5000 era," including the third round of Commercial Act amendments such as the mandatory retirement of treasury shares.
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