(2nd LD) Yoon’s dinner with PPP leadership ends without meaningful discussions

President Yoon Suk Yeol hosted a dinner meeting with the leadership of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday, but it ended without having meaningful discussions on sensitive issues about the medical reform and first lady Kim Keon Hee.

Yoon met with PPP chief Han Dong-hoon, floor leader Rep. Choo Kyung-ho and Supreme Council members at a garden in front of the presidential office, the second such gathering following Han’s election in July.

During the gathering attended by about 30 participants with no-tie attire, Yoon shared details about his recent trip to the Czech Republic focused on solidifying South Korea’s winning a major nuclear power plant deal and encouraged the new PPP leadership, his spokesperson Jeong Hye-jeon said in a written briefing.

No discussions took place on sensitive issues, such as the impasse over the medical reform and controversies surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee, during the closed-door meeting that lasted an hour and a half, according to participants to the meeting.

Although Han had requested a one-on-one meeting with Yoon in addition to the group dinner, it did not occur on Tuesday. The PPP chief expressed his desire again to have a private conversation with Yoon at a later date, according to multiple participants at the dinner.

The gathering was initially planned for late August but was postponed after Han diverged from Yoon’s stance by calling for a delay in the planned increase of medical school admissions for 2026 as a way to resolve the junior doctors’ prolonged strike.

The meeting came at a time when Yoon faces multiple challenges, including a deadlock over the medical reform and controversies involving the first lady, which have contributed to his low approval ratings.

Although Han was once seen as one of Yoon’s close confidants from their days as prosecutors, their relationship has soured due mostly to differences over how to handle the first lady’s acceptance of a luxury handbag and other sensitive issues.

If a future meeting with Yoon does take place, Han
is expected to push for discussions on the medical school quota issue to form a consultative body with the government, opposition parties and the medical community and discuss the first lady’s issues.

Last week, the main opposition Democratic Party unilaterally passed a bill for a special counsel investigation into the allegation of stock price manipulation involving the first lady, her receipt of a luxury bag and her alleged interference in candidate nominations of the ruling party. The PPP chief had previously proposed a “third-party” special counsel bill upon his election.

Yoon is widely like to exercise his veto power against the special counsel bill as his office has already voiced opposition to it.

Source: Yonhap News Agency