PPP chief Han signals openness to talks with reelected DP head Lee

PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said Monday he is open to talks with newly reelected DP leader Lee Jae-myung amid drawn-out partisan conflict over several controversial bills railroaded by the DP and its liberal allies through the National Assembly.

Conservative People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon, right, addresses chiefs of the party's regional branches at a meeting held at the PPP's headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Monday. [NEWS1]

Conservative People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon said Monday he is open to talks with newly reelected Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung amid drawn-out partisan conflict over several controversial bills railroaded by the DP and its liberal allies through the National Assembly.

Lee won a second term as DP chairman with the conclusion of the party’s leadership race at a national convention held Sunday, which capped two weeks of voting by party members.

Speaking at a meeting of the PPP’s Supreme Council, Han congratulated Lee on his reelection and expressed optimism that the two leaders could achieve “substantial progress” in passing legislation related to livelihood matters, which have languished amid inter-party squabbling.

In a post uploaded to his Facebook page the previous day, Han singled out a new capital gains tax due to go into effect next year as one item on his mind for talks with Lee.

The tax imposes a 20 percent levy on income derived from stocks, bonds, funds and derivatives that exceeds 50 million won ($36,205), with a higher rate of 25 percent applied to gains above 300 million won.

The presidential office and the PPP have argued that the looming tax is likely to burden retail investors amid increasing volatility in the global financial market.

Although Lee proposed separate talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol and the PPP leader to discuss “critical matters” during his acceptance speech on Sunday, the issues he mentioned did not match those brought up by Han.

Newly reelected Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung speaks during a meeting of the party's Supreme Council at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Monday. [NEWS1]

One of the items highlighted by the DP leader was a bill mandating the appointment of a special counsel to investigate allegations that the Yoon administration and Defense Ministry obstructed a military probe into the death of a young Marine corporal during a flood rescue mission last year.

The president vetoed the bill on July 9, less than two months after he rejected a similar bill.

While noting that a DP-appointed special counsel would be “ideal” in the case, Lee said he is open to discussing Han’s idea for a special counsel selected by a neutral party.

The special counsel probe is one of several contentious bills passed by the DP-controlled National Assembly that have failed to become law after being vetoed by the president at the urging of the PPP.

On Friday, Yoon vetoed a bill to prevent companies from suing workers for damages caused by legal strikes.

The same day, he also rejected legislation that would have fulfilled the DP leader’s general election pledge to distribute 250,000 won ($183) in cash to every person in the country.

Four days earlier, the president vetoed four bills that the DP said were necessary to reduce the government’s influence over the state media watchdog and the country’s three public broadcasters.

Despite their bitter differences over such legislation, the PPP and DP agreed on Aug. 8 to cooperate on bills that address livelihood issues.

The agreement came after PPP policy chief Rep. Kim Sang-hoon and his DP counterpart Rep. Jin Sung-joon reviewed some 50 bills proposed by the DP.

The two lawmakers said they had identified multiple pieces of legislation that the rival parties could work together to pass, such as a bill to help victims of crime and cut electricity costs for vulnerable groups.

Officials from the two parties also agreed the same day to establish a consultative body involving the government to discuss and propose solutions to livelihood issues.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]