President Lee Jae-myung will hold a closed-door luncheon meeting with former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo at Cheong Wa Dae on the 17th. The meeting is drawing attention because it comes after Hong openly supported Kim Boo-kyum, the former prime minister who recently ran as the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Daegu mayor in the June 3 local elections.
On the 16th, Hong wrote on Facebook, "I am unaffiliated and unemployed," and added, "Senior presidential secretary for political affairs Hong Soo-seok (Hong Ik-pyo, senior presidential secretary for political affairs) contacted me half a month ago, so I said it would be fine if it were a closed-door luncheon." He went on, "Not only the opposition leader but also opposition figures are going, so I have no reason not to," saying he would have a luncheon meeting with President Lee.
Since taking office, President Lee has actively reached out to conservative figures in line with a "unity" stance. In July last year, right after taking office, Lee invited conservative commentator Cho Gab-je, head of Cho Gab-je Dotcom, and Jeong Gyu-jae, former editor-at-large of The Korea Economic Daily, for a luncheon. He also appointed former Bareunmirae Party lawmaker Kim Sung-sik as vice chair of the National Economic Advisory Council. Hong, too, is a senior conservative figure who left the People Power Party after losing the party's presidential primary last year.
A political source said this luncheon is also part of "broadening the base." Even before Kim formally announced his bid, Hong had effectively signaled his support. On the 20th of last month, on his communication channel "Youth's Dream," Hong replied to a netizen who said they supported former Mayor Kim, "For Daegu to take off, it must receive help from the Lee Jae-myung administration. Otherwise, even the TK (Daegu-North Gyeongsang) new airport will be scrapped."
On the 2nd, he wrote on Facebook, "A local government head is an administrator, not a fighter. If it helps Daegu, we should set party aside and elect a capable administrator, not a political brawler," expressing support for the former prime minister Kim.