Give hope, not despair, to the people

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung have their first face-to-face meeting today at the presidential office. The meeting in the afternoon is the first of its kind since the launch of the conservative government in May 2022. Given the tumultuous lead-up to the meeting, we hope both leaders demonstrate the spirit of co-governance after the landslide victory of the DP in the April 10 parliamentary elections by putting all urgent issues on the table.

The rare meeting is expected to last one hour. But we hope the two leaders have a sincere conversation with no time limit. If needed, they can have a meeting by themselves. To find a breakthrough in the current political deadlock, formalities do not matter.

Above all, President Yoon must listen to what the opposition leader would say today. Yoon needs to demonstrate a determination to cooperate with the majority opposition from now. If Yoon does not change even after the meeting, it is not good for the president or the country. We urge the president to have a substantial meeting with the opposition leader.

The DP leader also must not press the president after being buoyed by his party’s overwhelming election victory over the governing People Power Party (PPP) in the election. Lee must refrain from pressuring Yoon to accept all his demands. Even though the election ended with the PPP’s crushing defeat, it doesn’t mean Lee can demand everything from the president.

We hope the two leaders find a realistic solution to the ongoing medical crisis from doctors’ walkout to protest the government’s unilateral push to increase the medical school admissions quota. The DP adheres to the establishment of a medical services reform committee where the two major parties, the medical community and civic groups jointly participate. Whatever the name of the committee, it will help solve the problem if both leaders can find a solution in today’s meeting.

Given the volatility over the Lee-proposed handout of 250,000 won ($181) in relief for each citizen to help ease people’s deepening economic pain, both leaders should find a reasonable solution over Lee’s populist approach. We also hope Yoon seeks cooperation from Lee over the nomination of the next prime minister to avoid an administrative vacuum.

It will be difficult to expect too much from the meeting today. But we hope their first head-to-head meeting does not end up in failure. The two leaders must continue their conversation over the future of the country rather than sticking with their hard-line position. If they can pursue their common interest after recognizing their differences, it will help put troubled politics back on track.