SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was talking with liberal opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Monday about how to revive bipartisan cooperation, after Yoon’s conservative party recently suffered a massive defeat in parliamentary elections.
The meeting was their first since Yoon took office in 2022 after defeating Lee in the country’s closest presidential election. During their campaigns, Yoon, Lee and their supporters demonized each other and filed dozens of lawsuits against each other.
Yoon proposed the meeting as he faces growing calls to cooperate with Lee’s Democratic Party, whose win in the April 10 parliamentary elections allows it to extend its control of the single-chamber National Assembly until after Yoon’s single five-year term ends in 2027.
Yoon and Lee were meeting without a set agenda. Officials at Yoon’s presidential office and Lee’s party earlier said the meeting would focus on how to improve public livelihoods and promote cooperation on state affairs.