President Lee Jae Myung on Monday emphasized his role as a unifying leader during a luncheon meeting with the heads of both the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the main opposition People Power Party, held at the presidential office in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul.
“Although I come from the Democratic Party, I am now the president of all the people,” Lee said in his opening remarks, stressing that he must listen not only to the ruling party, but also to the opposition, which represents a significant portion of the public.
“The opposition may be a political group, but it still speaks for many citizens. I will ensure that the voices of all people are fairly reflected in state affairs,” he added.
The luncheon marked the first three-way meeting between the president, Democratic Party Chair Rep. Jung Chung-rae and People Power Party Chair Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok.
Lee endorsed Jang’s call for an end to confrontational politics, saying he “fully agrees” with the idea of the “politics of coexistence” and the need to establish a consistent communication channel between the ruling and opposition camps.
“Through dialogue, we can clear up misunderstandings and narrow differences,” he said. "Absolute agreement may be difficult, but it’s my role to minimize the gap."
Lee also called for bipartisan cooperation, citing his experience from the recent summit with US President Donald Trump, noting that negotiations with foreign countries are more effective when backed by a unified stance at home.
“That meeting was not about gaining something, but about necessity — to protect what we already have,” he said. “In times like this, internal unity greatly strengthens our hand in external negotiations.”
During the meeting, Jang urged swift government action in response to the recent US federal raid on a Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia, where hundreds of Korean workers were detained.
Jang pledged that the opposition would cooperate with the administration, but also called on the president to ensure the ruling bloc's reform drive proceeds at a balanced pace.
From the ruling party, Jung echoed the call for bipartisan cooperation, while urging the opposition to join efforts to “eliminate the remnants of insurrection,” referring to former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched Dec. 3, 2024 martial law declaration.
As a result of Monday’s luncheon, the Democratic Party and the People Power Party agreed to launch a provisional consultative body on livelihood and economic issues.
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