DPK leader to attend New Year's meeting hosted by president Jan. 3

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly, Thursday. Yonhap

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), will attend a New Year’s meeting to be hosted by President Yoon Suk Yeol at the former presidential office compound of Cheong Wa Dae on Jan. 3, the party’s spokesperson said Thursday.

“Chairman Lee accepted the invitation. We expect the meeting to become an opportunity to unite the people and overcome economic crisis,” DPK spokesperson Rep. Kang Sun-woo told reporters at the National Assembly.

The last time Lee and Yoon met was on Oct. 31 when the president visited the Assembly to present his 2024 budget. At the time, the meeting gained huge attention as it marked the two's first official talks since the launch of the Yoon government. The two reportedly shared opinions on controlling prices and stabilizing the people's livelihoods.

Yoon and Lee were rivals in last year’s presidential election and have since been adversarial to each other. On Aug. 31, Lee launched a hunger strike to protest the Yoon government’s handling of state affairs and ended it on Sept. 23 due to deteriorating health condition.

Political watchers say, however, that it is unlikely that the two would have sufficient time to talk during the New Year’s meeting, as there will be many other top officials from across the executive, legislative and judicial branches, including the prime minister and the Assembly speaker.

Some 200 officials attended this year’s meeting, which was not attended by Rep. Lee and other DPK leadership amid discord between the opposition party and the ruling bloc.

At the time, the DPK said Lee could not attend the meeting due to a hectic schedule.