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Kim Min-seok, Prime Minister, Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, and Kang Hoon-sik, presidential chief of staff, clasp hands and smile before attending the fourth high-level party-government meeting at the prime minister’s official residence in Jongno, Seoul, on November 9. / Source: Park Seong-il

Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae on Sunday called for stronger unity among the party, the government, and the presidential office, urging them to “stick together like beef brisket.”

Attending the fourth high-level party-government meeting hosted by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok at the prime minister’s residence in Seoul, Jung said, “Carbon neutrality is not a choice but a necessity.” He pressed for a responsible national target for greenhouse gas reduction by 2035 and emphasized close cooperation among the three entities to resolve key livelihood issues, such as the shortage of essential medical services and winter disaster preparedness.

Regarding the first agenda item, the national greenhouse gas reduction target, Jung said, “The climate crisis is becoming a disaster in our daily lives. Since we have already legislated carbon neutrality by 2050, we must set a responsible and realistic goal.” Citing President Lee Jae-myung’s pledge to achieve an energy transition centered on renewable power, he added that “the government should fully consider the public’s burden level and potential impacts on domestic industries.”

On winter disaster and emergency response measures, Jung urged proactive steps to protect citizens’ safety. “Prevention is the most important and best way to protect the lives of our people,” he said, calling for the government’s “thorough preemptive planning and swift snow removal operations.” He further highlighted the need to “strengthen energy vouchers for vulnerable groups and build an airtight safety net, as disasters tend to strike the weakest links first.”

Jung also voiced concern over the collapse of the essential medical care system, saying, “One in five citizens has experienced being bounced around emergency rooms. Measures are needed to resolve regional imbalances in the distribution of doctors and end the so-called ‘ER ping-pong.’” He expressed hope that “today’s meeting will produce concrete solutions to improve medical accessibility,” pledging full party support.

“The change people can feel — building broader and better lives for the public — is our shared mission,” Jung concluded, reiterating the need for a “One Team spirit” among the party, government, and presidential office to ensure the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration.