Jang Dong-hyuk and Kim Min-seok Agree on 'Frequent Communication'... Discuss Key Issues like Judicial Independence, Real Estate Policy

Jang Dong-hyuk, a supreme council member of the People Power Party, sincerely congratulated Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on his election and inauguration, and expressed gratitude for his direct visit to the People Power Party headquarters.

He emphasized that this meeting was held out of courtesy and hospitality for the opposition leader.

Representative Kim Min-seok stated that he had wanted to bring some fruit when visiting the People Power Party headquarters, expressing regret for coming empty-handed. He once again sincerely thanked Representative Jang Dong-hyuk for his warm welcome, giving a positive assessment of the formality and warm hospitality of the inter-party meeting.

Representative Kim Min-seok said that he personally likes Supreme Council Member Jang Dong-hyuk and believes he is an 'indispensable,' or essential, leader in current Korean politics. He mentioned their cooperation during the lifting of martial law, despite differences in their views on impeachment, acknowledging the existence of political common ground.

Representative Kim Min-seok mentioned that it was his first time seeing the photos of Presidents Syngman Rhee, Park Chung-hee, and Kim Young-sam hanging in the People Power Party headquarters. He stated that through this, he confirmed that both sides share common ground in democracy, a market economy, and affection for the country.

Representative Kim Min-seok emphasized that as long as South Korean politics continues, Representative Jang Dong-hyuk and he should be the last two people to maintain the line of dialogue. He proposed the need for a system of frequent communication beyond regular meetings, stressing the importance of constant dialogue between the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties.

This proposal implies not just increasing the number of meetings, but establishing a channel for informal dialogue whenever necessary.

Such a proposal demonstrates the will to seek cooperative governance by building bridges of dialogue even amidst political confrontation.

Supreme Council Member Jang Dong-hyuk emphasized that it is as important to faithfully carry out the National Assembly's inherent function of checking the executive branch as it is to support the President's governance. He stated that when the majority party, the Democratic Party of Korea, also takes on the function of checking the executive branch, the National Assembly can perform its role properly.

Supreme Council Member Jang expressed his hope that the National Assembly can effectively check the executive branch through cooperation with the opposition party.

Supreme Council Member Jang Dong-hyuk responded by actively agreeing with Representative Kim Min-seok's proposal for frequent dialogue. He believed it was important to meet directly and continue practical discussions whenever necessary, rather than just having regular meetings.

Supreme Council Member Jang added that he hopes the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties will have a relationship where they can frequently communicate, transcending physical distance.

Representative Kim Min-seok emphasized that, regardless of party affiliation, the National Assembly must faithfully perform its inherent function of checking the executive branch. He expressed hope that both the ruling and opposition parties would work together to oversee the executive branch, with the people at the center.

Representative Kim Min-seok emphasized his belief that judicial independence is the foundation of the rule of law and fundamental to upholding democracy. He cited the case of former President Roh Moo-hyun accepting and appointing the Supreme Court Justice nominee from Chief Justice Choi Jong-young in 2003, explaining that efforts were made to uphold the principle of judicial independence even amidst conflict between the President and the Chief Justice at the time.

Representative Kim Min-seok pointed out that careful consideration is needed in managing the future response fund, which amounts to over 100 trillion won. He expressed concern that, as it involves managing public taxes, it should rightfully be subject to the basic controls of the National Finance Act, and that it could be managed in a lax manner without such controls, as is currently the case.

He also warned that this fund could be mistaken for a public support management or election response fund, emphasizing the importance of transparent operation.

Representative Kim Min-seok proposed that about 50% of surplus tax revenue should be used to support the middle class, ordinary citizens, small business owners, and youth. He emphasized that a plan should be established to prioritize the use of surplus tax revenue for debt repayment and public welfare support, and that the ruling and opposition parties should discuss this first.

Representative Kim Min-seok stressed that the most important aspect of government policy is public trust. He pointed out that when presidential campaign pledges or presidential positions are announced, the public trusts them and makes various choices, and that policies losing consistency can betray public trust.

Representative Kim emphasized the importance of consistency in housing policy and policy formulation based on market order, urging predictable and stable policy implementation.

Representative Kim Min-seok expressed his welcome for the changed stance on real estate policy shown by the high-level party-government meeting yesterday. He urged the government to continue to show courageous determination to boldly change policy direction if a policy is announced that the public finds difficult to accept or that is expected to have adverse effects.

This emphasizes that the government should listen to the voices of the people and flexibly adjust policies.

Supreme Council Member Jang Dong-hyuk expressed his agreement and gratitude for Representative Kim Min-seok's proposal to meet frequently to discuss pending issues. He also thanked Representative Kim Min-seok for welcoming the efforts made at the high-level party-government meeting to supplement the direction of real estate policy.

Representative Kim Min-seok again cited the case of former President Roh Moo-hyun accepting Chief Justice Choi Jong-young's nomination 22 years ago, suggesting that the political decision made at the time was valuable in terms of the rule of law despite procedural issues. He emphasized that 22 years later, the approach should be to normalize all standards, including the overall procedure, rather than relying on a single party's decision.

Representative Kim Min-seok found common ground with Supreme Council Member Jang Dong-hyuk on the need for transparent control of national finance and the direction of support for ordinary citizens and youth. He also proposed that it is important to create a common discussion framework involving both the ruling and opposition parties and the public regarding real estate policy.

He emphasized that through such discussions, the ruling and opposition parties should cooperate across party lines to uphold national financial principles and seek ways to contribute to the housing stability of the people.

Supreme Council Member Jang Dong-hyuk asserted that pre-consultation or coordination with the Presidential Office is inappropriate, stating this as his personal constitutional interpretation and conviction, thereby emphasizing the importance of judicial independence. He explained that the Chief Justice's inherent power of nomination and the National Assembly's power of consent, as stipulated in the Constitution, form a system of mutual checks.

Supreme Council Member Jang argued that rather than placing excessive weight on procedural issues in the appointment of the Chief Justice, ensuring the independence of the judiciary should be the priority.

He expressed concern that the appointment of the Chief Justice through pre-consultation with the Presidential Office could undermine the independence of the judiciary.

Supreme Council Member Jang Dong-hyuk expressed concern about how the public would view the Supreme Court if the Chief Justice appointment process is reduced to the issue of pre-coordination with the Presidential Office. He pointed out the impact of such procedural issues on judicial trust and the fairness of trials, and also mentioned public concerns related to Representative Lee Jae-myung's judicial problems.

Supreme Council Member Jang emphasized that only when the Chief Justice appointment process is transparent and cleanly concluded can public suspicions be resolved and trust in the judiciary be enhanced.