Lee meets with ruling and opposition leaders

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung center poses for a photo with ruling Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae and opposition People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk before their lunch meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan Seoul Sept 8 2025 Courtesy of the Presidential Press Corps — President Lee Jae Myung (center) poses for a photo with Jung Chung-rae, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party (far right) and Jang Dong-hyuk, the leader of the opposition People Power Party at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul on Sept. 8, 2025. Yonhap

SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung said Monday that national unity would be his top priority, as he met with the leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul.

The luncheon meeting came for the first time several weeks after Jung Chung-rae of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and Jang Dong-hyuk of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) were elected party leaders last month.

Lee, who again wore his signature red-and-blue tie in a symbolic gesture he uses whenever he wants to stress unity, urged bipartisan cooperation. "One of the president's most important duties is to bring people together," he said, vowing to "make every effort to listen" to all citizens' voices and fairly reflect them, whether in favor or against, in policymaking.

Also sharing the outcomes of his recent trip to Washington for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump last month, he called on both parties to cooperate with each other on national security and economic growth.

He then sought help in streamlining government agencies and ministerial reshuffles to implement reforms of the prosecution, judiciary, and other key sectors.

But political divides and disputes seem to persist. Jung brought up disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration last year, calling for "those responsible to be held fully accountable and punished." In contrast, Jang urged Lee to veto a series of "controversial" bills pushed by the DP, which holds a parliamentary majority.

Nevertheless, Jung and Jang agreed to form a bipartisan committee tasked with improving citizens' lives, although specific details remain unclear.

Meanwhile, Lee also held a one-on-one meeting with Jang for about 30 minutes at the PPP leader's request.

Cheon Soram cheons@ajupress.com