As the 22nd National Assembly got off to an inexcusably late opening Monday, President Yoon Suk Yeol was notably absent. This absence marked Yoon as the first president not to attend the legislature’s opening ceremony since the 11th National Assembly in 1981. This was a significant moment because it came after the country transitioned to direct presidential elections in 1987, ending years of authoritarian rule.
The delayed ceremony resulted from a partisan rift, with the ruling People Power Party (PPP) protesting the opposition Democratic Party of Korea’s (DPK) special counsel bill related to a Marine’s death and hearings on an impeachment petition against Yoon. As a result, the opening ceremony and the regular session commenced 96 days after the new Assembly officially began its term.
The presidential office said the National Assembly should extend an invitation to Yoon only after “normalizing the legislature,” which has been marred by frequent proposals for special counsel bills and impeachment motions.
Nevertheless, the president’s absence deviates from established practice. Typically, when the National Assembly opens, the president, the Supreme Court chief, the Constitutional Court chief and the prime minister gather in Yeouido to demonstrate mutual respect and seek cooperation on a range of issues. This bipartisan cooperation is crucial for both the PPP and the Yoon administration, especially given that opposition parties control a substantial number of seats compared to the PPP’s 108 in the 300-seat National Assembly. Moreover, Yoon has consistently emphasized his commitment to implementing four major reforms during his tenure – labor, national pension, health care and education – areas that require effective conflict resolution and collaboration.
It is disappointing that the president’s absence from the Assembly’s opening suggests a stubborn stance. This was hinted at during his Aug. 29 press conference, where he said, “This Assembly is unlike any I have experienced before” and declined a meeting with
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the DPK. This approach contrasts sharply with his commitment in May to “never give up on politics of cooperation” during a news conference marking his second year in office, especially following a significant defeat to the opposition in the April general elections.
The opposition’s reckless attacks on the administration and the president’s family undoubtedly strain relations between the presidential office and the opposition-dominated legislature. However, the president’s recent decision to skip the Assembly’s opening is viewed by the public as narrow-minded. This stands in contrast to the rare meeting on Sunday between Han Dong-hoon of the PPP and Lee Jae-myung of the DPK. Despite Lee’s proposal and Han’s acceptance, their discussion lasted over 100 minutes without reaching any concrete agreements. Nonetheless, they achieved a positive outcome by agreeing to establish a consultative body to address livelihood issues and work toward restoring political cooperation. Additionally, they
called on the government to ensure preparedness for medical emergencies during the upcoming Chuseok holidays, effectively challenging the government’s assertion that the ongoing medical crisis will not escalate. The presidential office should work closely with both the government and the legislature to address the difficulties facing patients and the hospitals.
The presidential office welcomed the meeting between Han and Lee, suggesting that Yoon is aware of his responsibility to foster bipartisan cooperation. He should act on this understanding to promote effective collaboration. A Realmeter survey released Monday revealed that his approval rating has fallen to 29 percent, the second-lowest since he took office. The president might also consider Speaker Woo Won-shik’s comment that “Listening to the voices in the National Assembly is the path to any Cabinet’s success.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency
