President Lee Jae-myung met with ruling and opposition party leaders and urged bipartisan cooperation for economic recovery. It was the first gathering of government and party leadership in 211 days since September 8 last year. The meeting proceeded in a generally amicable atmosphere, but the two sides failed to reach clear agreement on major pending issues.
According to political sources on Thursday, the Democratic Party of Korea gave a positive assessment of the meeting, saying "there was consensus on activating a government-party livelihood consultative body whenever necessary." The People Power Party (PPP), while acknowledging the value of dialogue, revealed differences on key issues. In particular, regarding President Lee's request to participate in constitutional amendment efforts, the PPP countered by demanding he "first declare that he will not seek a second or extended term." President Lee was reported to have responded negatively to demands for additional fuel tax cuts and passage of the Busan Global Hub City Special Act.
The previous day, President Lee held a luncheon meeting lasting approximately two hours at Cheong Wa Dae with party leaders and floor leaders from both sides. "In difficult times like these, especially when our community faces a crisis driven by external factors, internal unity is truly important," he said, emphasizing cooperative governance. "When opinions differ, it's good to meet and talk often," he added. "The government is doing its best. I ask both the opposition and the ruling party to show consideration."
The atmosphere was relatively cordial. During a photo session, President Lee urged Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae and PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk to shake hands, saying, "You're not still refusing to hold hands, are you? Give it a try." In public remarks, he yielded the floor to Jang first, saying "elder brother first," and after Jeong's remarks, offered Jang an additional chance to speak, saying, "You might feel it's unfair, so please go ahead."
In his opening remarks, Jang said, "What I have to say may be uncomfortable to hear, but I hope you will listen willingly, thinking of it as the voices of struggling citizens." He then criticized the supplementary budget bill, real estate policy, the manipulation prosecution investigation, and the diplomatic direction. "The government is promoting that Gangnam housing prices have fallen, but prices have risen in all other regions outside Gangnam," he pointed out. He also joked, "Expecting a meeting like this, I went through the trouble of disposing of four of my six houses recently," taking a jab at the ruling camp's attacks on multi-home ownership. President Lee responded by saying "I'm not uncomfortable at all" and listened attentively. Regarding the so-called "Jim Carrey budget" targeting Chinese tourists, which the opposition had raised as an issue, the president gave an on-the-spot instruction to "cut it if it only targets Chinese nationals."
However, differences were stark in the closed-door session. According to the PPP, the president either gave no clear answer or responded negatively to requests for additional fuel tax cuts and passage of the Busan Global Hub Special Act. The Democratic Party clearly opposed a proposal to suspend the manipulation prosecution investigation until the Middle East situation stabilizes.
Some common ground was found on certain supplementary budget items. The Democratic Party said it would positively review the PPP's proposed "seven projects for people's survival," and also indicated willingness to withdraw 4.9 billion won in support funding for Traffic Broadcasting System (TBS).
Differences over constitutional amendment were also reaffirmed. President Lee requested cooperation for a comprehensive constitutional revision during the closed-door session, but the PPP maintained its existing party position opposing a simultaneous amendment with local elections. Jang demanded that the president "preemptively declare he will not seek a second or extended term before discussing constitutional amendment," but the president did not give an immediate answer, according to accounts. Cheong Wa Dae pushed back, saying Jang's account was inaccurate and explaining that under current procedures, an amendment related to consecutive terms would be difficult to modify.
Despite their differences, both sides agreed on the need for continued dialogue. The Democratic Party assessed the meeting as "a starting point for cooperative governance, having confirmed possibilities through two hours of communication." The PPP also noted that "the very act of sitting down and discussing with the president was meaningful" and mentioned the need for additional meetings.