President Lee, Moon Jae-in to meet for lunch July 1

President Lee Jae-myung is set to meet former President Moon Jae-in for lunch at the Blue House on July 1, a gathering that will mark their second meeting in just over a month. The two leaders previously met on May 23 at a memorial service for the late former President Roh Moo-hyun in Bongha Village.

The agenda for their upcoming lunch is drawing significant attention. The Democratic Party is preparing for its national convention in August to elect new leadership, including a party leader. Several prominent figures, including former party leader Chung Sye-kyun, who has announced his bid for re-election, and potentially Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum and Democratic Party lawmaker Song Young-gil, are vying for party leadership.

“

President Lee will have lunch with former President Moon at the Blue House on Wednesday, July 1, at 11:30 AM.

The political landscape within the party is currently divided between factions loyal to Lee and those supporting Chung. The allegiances of lawmakers associated with the former Moon Jae-in administration, such as Yoon Kun-young and Ko Min-jung, are also being closely watched.

Adding another layer of intrigue, inter-Korean relations could also be a topic of discussion. This comes in the wake of North Korea's recent public criticism of South Korea's pursuit of a nuclear-powered submarine. President Lee himself expressed frustration on June 19, stating that all communication channels with North Korea are currently severed.

“

Unfortunately, realistically, all communication channels with North Korea are severed.