This President will have a 'no agenda' luncheon with the leadership of both parties tomorrow - Politics of inclusion, Leadership of responsibility.

Seeds of Change Thrown into Missing Politics

The landscape of Korean politics has long been marred by the disappearance of cooperation and partisan conflicts. Both the ruling and opposition parties have devoted themselves to unconditional opposition and criticism rather than realizing the principles of checks and balances within and outside the National Assembly. This has led to a structure where political disputes take precedence over the people's livelihood, resulting in a disconnection from the public and leaving only disillusionment and cynicism in its wake. In this political stagnation, President Lee Jae-myung's first step was a symbolic moment that opened the door to new possibilities. Inviting the leadership of both parties to the presidential residence for a luncheon without a set agenda just 18 days after his inauguration is more than a simple meeting it clearly expresses a commitment to political recovery. A conversation without a predetermined agenda excluded political calculations and marked the beginning of a new attempt at genuine communication. It was a quietly sown seed of change.

The political questions raised by the 'lunch without agenda'

The format of "unstructured meetings" questions the essence of politics in itself. In the past, meetings between ruling and opposition parties were primarily conducted around pre-agreed agendas. In settings where speaking times, order, and discussion topics were meticulously coordinated, only predictable topics were exchanged, making it difficult to touch the hearts of the people. President Lee Jae-myung has broken this fixed mold. The proposal to "meet without a structure" is a signal that the president is willing to open his heart and listen to the other party's views, and it is also a practical commitment to approach governance with a flexible and open attitude. The willingness to discuss any topic openly, from the outcomes of the G7 summit to the livelihood economy and current National Assembly issues, embodies a political philosophy that prioritizes trust over control and coexistence over confrontation.

The courage to invite a non-cooperative counterpart

The People Power Party has shown an uncooperative attitude towards the policy direction and major legislative tasks of the Lee Jae-myung government since the start of the administration. In important national tasks such as supplementary budgets, livelihood bills, and personnel verification, a strategy focused on opposition rather than cooperation has been repeated. Nevertheless, President Lee Jae-myung has not ignored them. Rather, he was the first to propose dialogue and attempted to bridge the political gap. This is by no means an easy task. It requires enduring repeated opposition and the risk of disappointment once again. However, the president chose the most essential starting point for restoring current politics—regaining trust—rather than calculating political gains and losses. Inclusion is not an emotion but a strategy it is a choice for practical politics for more citizens, not a rhetoric that prioritizes moral superiority. The president is showing the courage to reach out again, thinking about 'what is right' rather than 'who was right.'

The Structural Message of Inclusive Leadership

President Lee Jae-myung's leadership does not remain confined to short-term political events. For a government that does not have a majority in the National Assembly to operate successfully, collaboration with the opposition is essential, and this has been accepted not as a one-time negotiation but as a philosophy of national governance. This approach has significant implications for Korean politics. First, this is an era that requires a broader president rather than a stronger one. Second, by accepting the opposition as a policy partner rather than an enemy, the fundamental functions of politics are restored. Third, if inclusivity is repeated, it will settle not as a one-time gesture but as an institution and culture. The reason President Lee Jae-myung is attempting cooperation with the People Power Party is not a simple political proposal but the practice of a national vision to restore trust in politics. The experience of reaching out once breeds the courage to reach out again. This is how politics is restored, and the president is trying to prove that.

Beyond Division, A Path Forward Through Responsibility and Trust

Politics is the responsibility of responding to the will of the people and is the art of designing a shared future beyond conflict. If Korean politics has been trapped in confrontation and division until now, it is time to break free from that framework and create a new political grammar that does not abandon each other. President Lee Jae-myung's inclusivity does not stem from the cooperation of the other party, but from the determination to persuade and move forward together even if there is no cooperation. Regardless of how that proposal is received, its sincerity and accountability are being watched by all citizens. While results in politics are important, it is the process of achieving those results that serves as the standard illustrating the essence of democracy. The ball has now passed to the opposition party. However, cooperation is not solely the responsibility of the President. The opposition must also reflect on their promises to the citizens and take a step closer to the future of the nation. President Lee Jae-myung's choice is not an act of political tolerance, but a practice carried out in the face of the national imperative of uniting the people. We must record, evaluate, and remember such courage. That is the force that will move Korean politics forward.