Lee, Moon urge party unity

President Lee Jae-myung and former President Moon Jae-in agreed Wednesday that "hurting others with fake news or derogatory labels benefits no one," the presidential office said. The meeting came as infighting within the Democratic Party of Korea intensified ahead of the party's Aug. 17 national convention, where an increasingly heated dispute over the party's ideological lineage has fueled concerns about widening internal rifts.

At a meeting held at Sangchunjae in the presidential compound, Lee said, "We must represent everyone and govern for everyone." He added, "That makes unity within the party all the more important. We need to remain strong from within." Lee also stressed the need to continue broadening the party's appeal and "build a durable majority."

Moon, while also emphasizing unity, focused on the party's internal cohesion. "The defining task of our time is national unity," he said. "But national unity has to begin with unity inside the party."

The difference in emphasis prompted speculation that Lee was looking beyond the party to expand political support, while Moon was placing greater weight on consolidating the party first. Hong Ihk-pyo, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, dismissed that reading, saying the two leaders shared the view that both internal unity and broader public support are equally important. He added that they also agreed internal disagreements should be handled carefully and that party members should refrain from personal attacks or insulting language that could inflame tensions.

The meeting took place as friction intensified between the Democratic Party's traditional support base, including pro-Roh Moo-hyun and pro-Moon factions, and supporters aligned with Lee, commonly referred to as the "New Lee Jae-myung" camp. Political observers said the timing also reflected recent moves to reconnect with pro-Moon supporters, including former party leader Jung Chung-rae's visit to Moon after stepping down. Yoo Si-min, former Chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, also drew attention after criticizing Lee, saying supporters had wanted "an extension," but the president instead appeared to be pursuing "redevelopment." Wednesday's meeting was the first between Lee and Moon at the presidential office since Lee took office 13 months ago.


Hoon-Sang Park tigermask@donga.com