President Lee Jae-myung on the 15th said, "If we are divided internally and repeat the same mistakes, we cannot protect the national interest against external headwinds, and even the hard-won diplomatic achievements will come to nothing." He did not mention a specific issue, but it appears to be an expression of regret over the People Power Party stating it would not attend the luncheon meeting with the ruling and opposition leaders that Lee proposed.
Lee presided over a senior secretaries meeting at Cheong Wa Dae that afternoon and said, "Now the role of domestic politics is more crucial than ever." He added, "Both the government and the ruling and opposition parties in the National Assembly are joint entities responsible for state affairs on behalf of the sovereign people," and said, "I ask you to look beyond small differences, demonstrate responsibility-first politics that puts the national interest first, and join forces on the path for the people's lives and the country's tomorrow."
The People Power Party says there is no reason to attend the luncheon unless the ruling bloc withdraws the "three special counsels (special counsels on insurrection, Kim Keon-hee, and the fallen Marine)." That is because the Democratic Party has said it would place on the floor a second comprehensive special counsel bill that would add investigations into allegations not revealed by the three special counsel probes. The opposition launched a filibuster. People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok began a hunger strike that day, saying the Democratic Party must pass the special counsel bill on the Unification Church, which is linked to political corruption, and the bill on the alleged nomination fund-raising.
He also mentioned the outcomes of the state visits to China and Japan. Lee said, "From the beginning of the year, the global situation has been in turmoil, centered on Latin America and the Middle East," and added, "Amid this, we have achieved results that further expanded the horizons of economic and cultural cooperation through back-to-back summit diplomacy with our neighbors China and Japan." He continued, "The more uncertainty in the international order grows, the more crucial peace and stability in the region become," and said, "Practical diplomacy of wisdom that finds a balance amid conflict and expands mutually beneficial common ground based on mutual respect and understanding is more important than ever."