President calls new leader of DP to congratulate him

Politics

Published: 30 Aug. 2022, 17:43

President calls new leader of DP to congratulate him

Lee Jae-myung, left, new chairman of the Democratic Party, receives a congratulatory orchid from President Yoon Suk-yeol via Lee Jin-bok, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, Tuesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk-yeol asked the new chief of the Democratic Party (DP) to support economic legislation in a phone call Tuesday morning.

Yoon congratulated Lee Jae-myung, whom he defeated in the March 9 presidential election, for becoming the new DP leader and asked to meet soon, said Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for public affairs, in a statement.

"Congratulations on your election," Yoon was quoted as saying in the three-minute phone call. "If there is anything I can do to help you carry out your responsibilities as party chairman, I will do so. Above all, I ask for bipartisan cooperation on legislation for people's livelihoods amid economic difficulties."

Lee, a former Gyeonggi governor, was narrowly defeated by Yoon in the March 9 presidential race but made a quick political comeback by winning a parliamentary seat representing Incheon's Gyeyang-B district in a June 1 by-election.

On Sunday, Lee was elected DP chairman in a landslide victory at a national convention, starting a new leadership to replace an emergency steering committee that led the party since his presidential election defeat.

According to the presidential office, Yoon said in his call with Lee, "When the [PPP] is stable, I will arrange a meeting with the leaders of the rival parties at an early date."

He appeared to be responding to Lee's proposal of a meeting with party leaders and the president.

Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) is suffering a leadership vacuum after a court injunction filed by former chief Lee Jun-seok suspended an emergency steering committee last Friday. While the PPP is aiming to set up a new emergency steering committee before the Chuseok holiday next month, Lee is threatening more court injunctions.

The call came ahead of the start of a regular session in the National Assembly at the beginning of September. The DP holds a super-majority, or 169 out of 300 parliamentary seats.

Yoon asked Lee how former President Moon Jae-in is doing, noting the DP chief visited Moon and his wife Kim Jung-sook in Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, on Monday.

Moon and Kim moved into their retirement home in the rural village in early May, and have been plagued by protest rallies organized by civic groups. Protesters have broadcast profanities over loudspeakers and made death threats to Moon and his family.

In response to growing complaints, Yoon banned rallies within 300 meters of Moon's residence last week. Residents have said some peace has returned to the rural village.

Lee thanked Yoon for expanding the security perimeter around Moon's home and said, "Because you resolved the rally problem, Pyeongsan Village became quiet and the atmosphere much nicer," according to Rep. Park Sung-joon, a DP spokesman.

Lee Jin-bok, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, delivered a congratulatory message and orchid on Yoon's behalf to the new DP chairman earlier Tuesday.

DP Chairman Lee said, "Although the party's role is to point out the government's faults and shortcomings, we should cooperate on economic, security and public order issues, which are at the core of people's livelihoods."

The two sides "agreed to cooperate with each other regarding the legislation related to people's livelihoods," said DP spokesperson Park about the phone call with the president.

Lee said he would like to "find things to cooperate in" and to "reconcile different positions."

He told Yoon, "I would like to meet as soon as possible, regardless of format or procedure, so let's cooperate as much as possible."

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