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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Lee Myung-bak tells People Power Party floor leader to fight for public trust despite numbers

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Lee Myung-bak told Jung Jum-sik that the parliamentary role was more important than the party’s broader role during a difficult period.
  • Lee said the opposition should earn public recognition that its arguments were right and beneficial to the country, despite lacking the numbers in parliament.
  • Jung said Lee emphasized party unity and victory in the 2028 general election during their roughly 45-minute private meeting.

Former President Lee Myung-bak told People Power Party floor leader Jung Jum-sik that the party’s work inside parliament mattered more than its broader party role during a difficult period.

The role that must be played in parliament is greater than the role of the party.

— Lee Myung-bakThe former president advised the People Power Party floor leader during a meeting in Seoul.

Lee made the remarks on July 31 when Jung visited him at the Cheonggye Foundation in Seoul’s Seocho district. “The numbers simply do not work in our favor, so it is important to earn the people’s trust,” Lee said. “It is important for the public to recognize that the opposition’s arguments are right and that they help the country. We must fight with our eyes on the people.”

Jung replied that he would do so. He said he had not visited Lee since becoming floor leader and thanked the former president for helping the party’s candidates in the recent local elections, which Jung described as very difficult for the party.

The numbers simply do not work in our favor, so it is important to earn the people’s trust.

— Lee Myung-bakLee argued that the minority opposition must persuade the public rather than rely on parliamentary numbers.

After the private meeting, which lasted about 45 minutes, Jung said Lee’s central theme had been unity. According to Jung, Lee stressed that the party’s most important task was to unite and win the 2028 general election. Jung said Lee also argued that a minority opposition could not prevail unless it resisted what he called the Lee Jae-myung government’s abuses of power.

It is important for the public to recognize that the opposition’s arguments are right and that they help the country. We must fight with our eyes on the people.

— Lee Myung-bakLee described how the party should conduct its opposition.

Jung said Lee’s emphasis on the parliamentary role meant that opposition activity inside the National Assembly was important. The visit came six days after Jung met former President Park Geun-hye. Park later attended a party lawmakers’ retreat and urged the leadership and lawmakers to remain united in difficult times.

The president’s central theme was ultimately party unity.

— Jung Jum-sikJung summarized Lee’s message after their private meeting.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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