Song urges policy talks with new floor leader

Jan 12, 2026, 07:51 am

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Newly elected Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do greets lawmakers at a caucus meeting to elect the floor leader at the National Assembly on Jan. 11. / Song Eui-ju

Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the People Power Party (PPP), on Jan. 11 proposed “frank policy dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties” to Han Byung-do, who was elected earlier in the day as the new floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

In a Facebook post, Song congratulated Han and said, “As the saying goes, ‘new wine should be poured into new wineskins’—and likewise, new wineskins deserve new wine.” He added that he hopes the ruling party’s new floor leadership will play a major role in guiding the National Assembly toward “clean, honest, and upright politics.”

Citing renewed economic pressures, Song warned that the won–dollar exchange rate has crept back toward the 1,460 level, while inflation and housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area are rising. “This is not a time to be intoxicated by celebratory champagne,” he said. “It is time to embrace the hardships facing people’s livelihoods.”

Song said he would do his utmost, together with Han, to restore a “working, cooperative National Assembly” driven by intense debate and consensus focused solely on the public interest. He again congratulated Han on his election.

Han, however, struck a more confrontational tone toward the opposition in his acceptance remarks, vowing a tough stance. As a result, prospects for negotiations the PPP has sought—particularly talks over a special counsel bill related to the Unification Church—have become uncertain.

Han said he would “without fail” push to pass a second comprehensive special counsel bill and a Unification Church special counsel bill at the Jan. 15 plenary session, adding that he would move “at lightning speed” on livelihood and reform bills to firmly support the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

#Song Eon-seok #Han Byung-do #People Power Party #Democratic Party of Korea