Which opposition lawmakers did President Lee Jae Myung reportedly play golf with?

He reportedly played with PPP Rep. Joo Ho-young and Rep. Park Duk-hyum in June, and with PPP lawmaker Kim Tae-ho last month. The meetings were described as part of an effort to foster dialogue with the opposition.

Why is President Lee Jae Myung holding golf meetings with PPP lawmakers?

Senior opposition and ruling party officials said the meetings are meant to improve communication with opposition lawmakers and give Lee a chance to hear candid views and criticism. A senior opposition official said the talks should not be viewed negatively because they can also address regional issues.

Lee reportedly holds golf outings with senior opposition lawmakers

Q: What regional issue did the lawmakers discuss during the golf outing?

They discussed the need to push ahead with integrating Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. Lee had also said in June that any further administrative integration beyond the merger between Gwangju and South Jeolla Province would realistically be impossible before the 2030 local elections.

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Summary

President Lee Jae Myung has reportedly held a series of golf meetings with senior People Power Party lawmakers in an effort to improve dialogue with the opposition. He played in June with PPP Reps. Joo Ho-young and Park Duk-hyum, and last month with PPP lawmaker Kim Tae-ho. The lawmakers discussed regional issues, including integrating Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province.

Key Facts

Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik reportedly attended one of the golf rounds, while former Speaker Woo Won-shik did not join because he does not play golf.
Joo Ho-young represents a constituency in Daegu and served as deputy speaker during the first half of the current Assembly.
Park Duk-hyum is a four-term lawmaker and the current deputy speaker.
During a June press conference marking his first year in office, Lee said further administrative integration beyond the merger between Gwangju and South Jeolla Province would realistically be impossible before the 2030 local elections.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 13, 2026 11:59 am KST

President Lee Jae Myung, center, shakes hands with Rep. Joo Ho-young, then deputy speaker of the National Assembly, after giving a speech on the government's first supplementary budget bill in Seoul, April 2. Korea Times photo by Min Kyung-seok

President Lee Jae Myung has held a series of golf meetings with senior lawmakers from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), sources said Thursday, in an apparent effort to foster dialogue with the opposition party.

Lee played a round of golf in June with six-term PPP Rep. Joo Ho-young, who represents a constituency in the southeastern city of Daegu and served as deputy speaker during the first half of the current Assembly, and four-term Rep. Park Duk-hyum, the current deputy speaker, according to multiple ruling and opposition party officials.

All speakers and deputy speakers from both the first and second halves of the Assembly were said to have been invited.

Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik reportedly attended the round, while former Speaker Woo Won-shik was among those who did not join as they do not play golf, an official said.

The lawmakers are said to have discussed regional issues, including the need to push ahead with the integration of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province.

During a press conference marking his first year in office in June, Lee said any further administrative integration beyond the merger between Gwangju and South Jeolla Province would realistically be impossible before the 2030 local elections.

Lee also reportedly played golf last month with a group that included four-term PPP lawmaker Kim Tae-ho, who represents Yangsan in South Gyeongsang Province.

"It is not something to be viewed negatively as the president is seeking to communicate with opposition lawmakers," a senior opposition official said, noting that such meetings can provide an opportunity to discuss regional issues.

The presidential office said it could not confirm details of the president's schedule that have not been publicly disclosed.

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