Lee Jae-myung says overcoming partisanship key to surviving Trump's tariffs
Conservative critical of Yoon Suk Yeol to join Democratic Party of Korea presidential campaign
Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential nominee, called for a transcending of partisan divide to navigate trade challenges posed by the second Donald Trump administration's tariff policy.
Lee said in this "survival of the fittest" environment, induced in part by Trump's tariffs, a "one Korea, one team" approach is required.
The Democratic Party's task force responding to Trump's tariff policy held a meeting on Monday where it said acting President Han Duck-soo should leave room for the next administration to finalize trade negotiations with the US.
Kim Hyun-chong, the former deputy director of the National Security Office heading the task force, said the interim administration under Han should limit its role to "laying the foundation for the incoming administration, which will assume office in 37 days, to do the rest of the work."
Kim said that Han should "work closely with the National Assembly in his trade talks with Washington, and not get ahead."
Lee, in his nomination acceptance speech on Sunday, had also stressed national unity in the face of "the new global order brought on by the second Trump term."
Also on Monday, the Democratic Party said Yoon Yeo-joon, a former environment minister who has been vocal in his criticism of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was joining Lee's election committee, slated to formally launch later this week.
Recruiting a conservative figure to one of the top posts in the campaign is seen as a move intended to secure the support of voters outside the Democratic Party's base.
As party chair, Lee had previously sought to reframe the Democratic Party's image, describing it as "centrist conservative" — part of a broader effort to shed his reputation as a hard-line liberal and appeal to a wider swath of the electorate. Lee stepped down from the post to run for the presidency.
Bringing in the former environment minister is in line with Lee's emphasis on "overcoming political camps" and "prioritizing merit over political affiliation" in the speech he delivered after winning the party's nomination for president on Sunday.
"The former minister is someone I have counted on for advice in the past. I have asked him if he would be willing to lead the committee, and thankfully, he has accepted the offer," Lee told reporters Monday morning.
Democratic Party bigwigs considered part of the non-Lee Jae-myung faction, such as Kim Boo-kyum, who was prime minister under the party's former President Moon Jae-in, are also rumored to join Lee's campaign.
Reaching out to voters outside the Democratic Party's support base has been cited as one of Lee's prime concerns.
According to a Democratic Party insider, Lee is distancing himself from his signature policy of universal basic income that has been widely criticized by those leaning conservative, as he looks to attract broader support from voters.
Lee said at a meeting with party leaders on Monday that the pressing task for the next leader of South Korea is to bring the country together.
"The challenges facing our country are too dire to get bogged down in divisive politics," he said, saying he aspires to be a candidate who "represents all of South Korea, not just the party."
In his first public appearance as the party's nominee on Monday, Lee paid his respects to late conservative Presidents Syngman Rhee, Park Chung-hee and Kim Young-sam at the Seoul National Cemetery, in a display of his efforts to transcend partisanship.
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