President Yoon Suk-yeol calls for cooperation during meeting with parliamentary leaders

Politics

Published: 21 Aug. 2022, 16:58 Updated: 22 Aug. 2022, 14:52

President Yoon Suk-yeol calls for cooperation during meeting with parliamentary leaders

President Yoon Suk-yeol, second from left, speaks during a dinner banquet for parliamentary leaders including National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo at the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Friday. [YONHAP]

President Yoon Suk-yeol met with parliamentary leaders Friday and asked for their cooperation in state governance, calling on the rival parties to join hands to resolve current difficulties in people's livelihood.

Yoon held a three-hour dinner banquet with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, deputy speakers Chung Jin-suk and Kim Young-joo, and Lee Kwang-jae, the parliamentary secretary-general, at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul Friday evening.

They also were said to have reached a consensus on forming a parliamentary consultative group of senior lawmakers of both parties ahead of the regular session in the National Assembly next month.

In a press conference Sunday, Speaker Kim said he proposed a bipartisan consultative group during the dinner meeting with the president, and that Yoon had expressed interest and called it "a good plan." Such a consultative group could provide an opportunity for a breakthrough in a stalemate in negotiations between the rival parties in the National Assembly.

The liberal Democratic Party (DP) holds a majority, or 169 out of 300 seats, in the National Assembly; thus, Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) has to consult and coordinate with the DP to pass any bills.

Kim also said Yoon gave a "relatively positive response" when he proposed "starting a discussion about a constitutional amendment that fits the current political realities and developments."

Yoon was accompanied by presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki and senior political affairs secretary Lee Jin-bok in Friday's dinner, which was an opportunity to exchanges views with parliamentary leaders on the economy, politics and diplomacy, said Kang In-sun, the presidential spokesperson, in a statement.

The dinner meeting was also an occasion for the president to request the National Assembly's cooperation on carrying out state affairs, such as the passage of a bill on the people's livelihood along with pension and labor reforms, ahead of the new government's first regular parliamentary session.

"We are doing our best to revive the people's livelihood and the economy while responding to the critical situation amid difficulties in the global economy," said Yoon. "The National Assembly's regular session will begin next month, and I hope to be able to show that we are working hard, day and night, with the National Assembly for the sake of people's livelihood."

Yoon stressed that the National Assembly should be the center of state affairs.

He said many bills need revision, such as for stabilizing the real estate market, economic revitalization, future strategies and nurturing the food industry. He asked for the help of the speaker, deputy speakers and secretary-general in this process.

"If we work together with the National Assembly, we will be able to give strength to the people," said Yoon. "I ask for your help."

Speaker Kim said the parliamentary leadership appreciates Yoon for taking time out of his busy schedule.

"We feel confident that the people can see that the president is placing importance on joint governance with the National Assembly in a situation where the ruling party is in the minority," said Kim. "As you said, in the National Assembly, the opposing parties will consult each other to solve the most pressing issue of people's livelihood first."

He added that the opposing parties are deliberating over which bills need to be prioritized for passage once the regular sessions of the National Assembly convenes.

The parliamentary regular session convenes on Sept. 1 and will run for 100 days until Dec. 9.

"Korean politics is still not free from backwardness," said Kim, adding there are various reasons including "the influence of fandom politics" on both sides.

He added, "It will be of great help in resolving the current issues if a consultative body of the two parties mediate conflicts through deliberation and make recommendations.

Vice Speaker Kim Young-joo in turn called for Yoon to meet with more DP lawmakers.

Yoon also said he hopes that Busan's bid to host the 2030 World Expo can be a "bipartisan achievement."

In a press conference marking his first 100 days in office last Wednesday, Yoon addressed criticisms against him and said, "I will humbly uphold the public sentiment."

The latest meeting with parliamentary leadership appears to show Yoon's efforts to seek cooperation with the opposing party, keeping with his campaign pledge of national unity.

At a workshop with ministers and vice ministers last month, President Yoon emphasized that three major reforms on pension, labor and education cannot be achieved without the cooperation of the National Assembly.

Ahn Cheol-soo in a Facebook post Sunday said Speaker Kim's proposal for a parliamentary consultative body is a "good attempt for stabilizing Korean politics."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]