Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung's anticipated luncheon with leaders from the ruling and opposition parties was abruptly canceled after Jang Dong-hyeok, the leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), decided not to attend, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the luncheon was organized to include discussions with Jung Chung-rae, leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), and PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok at Cheong Wa Dae. The agenda was set to cover the economy and other urgent issues. Hong Ik-pyo, the presidential secretary for political affairs, informed reporters about the cancellation, expressing regret over the missed opportunity to foster communication and cooperation on state affairs.
Despite the setback, the Lee administration remains committed to pursuing "mutual respect and responsible dialogue" to ensure cooperation with various political parties, Hong added.
Jang, earlier in the day, had accepted President Lee's invitation intending to discuss public concerns regarding the economy. However, he reversed his decision following requests from senior party members, prompted by the judiciary committee's passage of controversial judicial reform bills.
Jang criticized the planned meeting during a Supreme Council meeting, suggesting it was a strategic move to divert attention from the judicial reform bills. The bills, passed a day earlier by the National Assembly's legislation and judiciary committee, propose allowing constitutional appeals in finalized Supreme Court cases and increasing the number of Supreme Court justices from 14 to 26.
The PPP has been vocal against the DP-led judicial reform efforts, arguing they are designed to protect President Lee from legal challenges.