On August 27, Democratic Party lawmakers exchanged greetings during a workshop held at the Inspire Hotel in Incheon, ahead of the regular National Assembly session starting in September.
As lawmakers took their seats around 1:40 p.m., they engaged in discussions about legislative tasks to be addressed during the upcoming session.
Before the main event began, Kim Seung-won, the ruling party's floor leader on the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, remarked that the workshop would likely take place in a serious atmosphere due to the recent flooding in Nepal, adding, "Today, it seems we will be in a mood of prayer for the safe return of the missing persons."
At around 2:06 p.m., following the direction of Jeon Eun-soo, the party's spokesperson, lawmakers removed their outer garments to match the 'white top' dress code. Jeon emphasized that the workshop was a platform to discuss the governance of the Lee Jae-myung administration, urging lawmakers to refrain from individual media interviews.
As the workshop commenced, lawmakers listened attentively to remarks from party leader Kim Min-seok and floor leader Han Byeong-do. Notably, lawmaker Hwang Hee, who has been in the spotlight due to the recent 'youth bus housing controversy,' arrived at the workshop around 2:18 p.m., seemingly aware of media presence.
During the workshop, Kim Min-seok presented a plaque of appreciation to former leader Jung Cheong-rae and other previous leadership members. Jung, who had served as a senior member, expressed surprise, stating, "I had no idea such an event was taking place; I was quite taken aback." When Kim presented the plaque, Jung responded with a deep bow, prompting applause from other lawmakers.
Kim also mentioned a canceled luncheon with President Lee Jae-myung, which stirred some murmurs in the room. He explained that President Lee had met with the party three times, initially with former leaders including Jung and Song Young-gil, and most recently with the entire leadership on August 25.
When Kim stated, "On the 28th, we will all meet," some lawmakers questioned whether the meeting had been canceled, causing a brief commotion in the venue.
Throughout the workshop sessions, several lawmakers were seen leaving their seats intermittently. As they exited, nearby reporters approached, asking about the discussions and whether any significant content had emerged.
At one point, Jung Cheong-rae expressed dissatisfaction with Kim's comments about him during the opening remarks and left the workshop. He departed with Kim Young-hwan around 5:32 p.m. and did not return until after the final briefing by floor spokesperson Lee Joo-hee, which concluded at 6:45 p.m.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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