Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok (right) presents a congratulatory orchid to presidential Chief of Staff Lim Gwang-hyeon during a courtesy visit to Kim's party leader office at the National Assembly on Tuesday. [Yonhap]
Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok (right) presents a congratulatory orchid to presidential Chief of Staff Lim Gwang-hyeon during a courtesy visit to Kim's party leader office at the National Assembly on Tuesday. [Yonhap]

Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok met Tuesday with presidential Chief of Staff Lim Gwang-hyeon and Cheong Wa Dae political affairs secretary Choi In-ho, who visited the National Assembly to pay courtesy calls, and discussed ways to strengthen the relationship between the party and the presidential office.

Kim told Lim that his long career in public service had given him deep expertise in administration, and said he trusted Lim would play a major role in assessing and coordinating state affairs going forward.

Turning to Choi, Kim noted that Choi had accumulated broad political experience — having served at Cheong Wa Dae during the Participatory Government, as a supreme council member and chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party, and as the negotiator who led his party's side on the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. Kim said he was confident Choi would facilitate smooth communication between President Lee Jae Myung and the ruling and opposition parties.

Kim also stressed that the most pressing national task was ensuring the country's growth translated into growth for all citizens. "There is much for the party and Cheong Wa Dae to work through together — from the budget and livelihood legislation to social reform," he said, adding that he would work closely with both officials to produce results the public could feel.

Lim, for his part, touched on the ongoing budget deliberations, saying next year's budget bill was meaningful in that it aimed to connect national growth to the growth of individual citizens and genuinely improve people's lives in practice.

Lim urged the National Assembly to fully reflect in its review process any grassroots voices and livelihood hardships that the government's draft had failed to capture. "The government will also listen with an open mind to opinions raised in the Assembly and actively review alternatives that benefit people's livelihoods," he said. "I will also work to make communication among the party, the government and Cheong Wa Dae more seamless, so that we can meet the expectations of the public."

Choi echoed the sentiment, saying he would do his utmost to unite the party, government and presidential office and strengthen communication so that their combined efforts would translate into tangible results for people's livelihoods and state affairs.


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