Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party, and Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, expressed their agreement on the importance of maintaining ongoing dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties for smoother legislative activities. They publicly voiced differing opinions on recent contentious issues, including the nomination of Supreme Court justices, excess tax revenue, and real estate policies.
The two leaders discussed the need for continuous communication during their first meeting on the morning of August 24 at the National Assembly.
Kim stated, "I want to establish a bridge of continuous dialogue with Jang. I believe the relationship with the opposition leader does not need to be formal." He emphasized his commitment to regular communication with Jang.
Jang responded positively to Kim's sentiments, saying, "I fully agree with Kim's proposal to hold discussions regularly."
They also addressed concerns regarding excess tax revenue and real estate policies, with Jang noting, "Since it is operated with the people's taxes, we must be cautious. Fifty percent should be used for the middle class, low-income earners, and youth," and added, "The government's real estate policies seem to contradict the commitments made before the presidential election. The most important aspect of government policy is the trust of the people."
In response, Kim countered, "The acceptance of the Supreme Court justice nominations by former President Roh Moo-hyun was a political decision. Given that about 20 years have passed, we need to approach the current situation with normalized standards."
He further expressed agreement with Jang's view on using future response funds for the middle class and low-income earners, stating, "We will discuss this thoroughly in the National Assembly," and added, "Regarding real estate issues, the ruling party is discussing ways to address the failures of previous market policies. We will engage in bipartisan discussions with the opposition."
However, Kim and Jang did arrive at different conclusions regarding the Supreme Court justice nominations, excess tax revenue, and real estate policies.
Jang pointed out that a similar situation occurred during the Roh Moo-hyun administration in 2003 concerning the written nomination of Chief Justice Cho, stating, "At that time, former President Roh also accepted the nominations with the belief in protecting the independence of the judiciary, the last bastion of democracy."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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