Leaders of ruling, main opposition parties to hold their 1st official talks Sunday

The leaders of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) will hold their first official talks over the weekend, PPP officials said Monday, as they voiced the need to explore ways to improve people’s livelihoods.

PPP leader Han Dong-hoon will meet with Lee Jae-myung, who was reelected as the chief of the DP the previous day, at 3 p.m. Sunday, the ruling party said.

It marks the first time that they will hold bilateral talks as chiefs of the ruling and main opposition parties. The two previously met briefly on Dec. 29 when Han took office as the party’s interim leader and paid a courtesy visit to Lee, but no current issues were discussed at that time.

Both sides are still in talks over details of the upcoming meeting, such as agenda items.

On Sunday, Lee secured a second term with a record-high share of the vote. During his victory speech, he offered to talk with Han to discuss “pressing issues,” including a bill calling for a special counsel investigation into the death of a young Marine conscript last year during a search for flood victims, as well as the financial investment income tax set to take effect in January.

Han welcomed Lee’s offer for talks earlier in the day, congratulating him on his reelection and voicing hope their envisioned meeting could lead to “substantial progress” on several stalled livelihood-related issues.

Earlier this month, the rival parties agreed to swiftly address bills related to livelihood issues that had been sidelined for months due to ongoing partisan disputes over various contentious matters.

Of the major contentious issues where the two sides remain at odds is the financial investment income tax, with the PPP urging the DP to agree to its abolition, while the DP insists the tax should be implemented as scheduled.

During his speech Sunday, Lee also proposed bilateral talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol to address what he described as the “most pressing” task of improving people’s livelihoods.

The presidential office said Monday that “nothing has been determined” regarding the bilateral talks proposed by Lee. The office also noted that multiple attempts to contact Lee to deliver a congratulatory orchid on behalf of the president went unanswered.