Moon and Lee meet to share worries about Yoon

Lee Jae-myung, left, chairman of the Democratic Party (DP), shakes hands with former President Moon Jae-in at his home in Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, Monday. [DEMOCRATIC PARTY]

Lee Jae-myung, head of the Democratic Party (DP), met with former President Moon Jae-in at his home in Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Monday, and shared their worries over national security and the state of Korea's democracy.

There was intense media interest in the former president and DP chief's first meeting in four months and whether the two would say something about the Yoon Suk Yeol government and the prosecution's ongoing investigations into the Moon administration and bribery allegations surrounding Lee.

The two last met on Aug. 29, the day after Lee, the defeated DP presidential candidate, was elected the new chairman in a party convention.

During the visit to Pyeongsan Village, Lee was accompanied by DP lawmakers including floor leader Park Hong-keun and Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, the party's secretary general. The DP leadership exchanged New Year's greetings with Moon and former first lady Kim Jung-sook over a luncheon that lasted around 90 minutes.

Moon and Lee were said to have shared concerns over a "regression in democracy" and worries about the current government's policies on national security and public safety.

Moon was quoted by a DP spokesperson as having expressed his concern about the security situation on the Korean Peninsula as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the armistice agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

"Tensions between the two Koreas are rising and the situation of instability in security is concerning," said Moon, calling for "efforts to make firmer peace."

Moon also said "true healing is needed" following the tragic Itaewon crowd crush of Oct. 29.

In turn, Lee expressed his concern over the government's handling of the Itaewon tragedy.

"There should never be a regression in democracy, which was achieved with difficulty," Moon was quoted as having said to Lee.

Moon called on the DP "centered around Chairman Lee, to do its best to help the people's livelihoods and the economy."

DP officials said that this was seen as Moon backing Lee. The two have led different factions within the liberal DP and at times clashed in the past.

DP chief Lee did not attend President Yoon's New Year's event at the Blue House guesthouse on Monday, which was attended by some 90 lawmakers from Yoon's ruling People Power Party (PPP).

When asked by reporters why he didn't attend, Lee replied earlier Monday, "This is the first time I've heard of it."

A DP spokesman clarified that there had been an invitation through email by the Interior Ministry on Dec. 22 and that Lee had not been able to attend because of prior committments.

Also on Monday, Lee attended a supreme council meeting in Busan and met with a group of youths in Changwon later in the day to discuss Korea's low birth rate and other issues. On Sunday, Lee visited the grave of President Roh Moo-hyun in Bongha Village in South Gyeongsang.

Last month, prosecutors summoned Lee over allegations that he received bribes through the Seongnam FC football club while he served as the city's mayor. Prosecutors allege that the football club was the conduit by which money was delivered to Lee, who served as mayor of Seongnam from 2010 to 2018.

Lee turned down the request to appear for questioning on Dec. 28, though he said he will cooperate with the investigation, and has yet to reply to another request to appear between Jan. 10 and 12.

Separately, several of Lee's political allies and acquaintances have been arrested in a corruption scandal surrounding the Daejang-dong development in Seongnam, also from his time as the city's mayor.

Prosecutors recently indicted Moon's former top security, intelligence and defense officials for allegedly deleting evidence related to the murder of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korean soldiers in September 2020.

In the beginning of December, Moon expressed "deep concern" over the prosecution's ongoing investigation, saying national security should not be a "subject of political strife."

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