Ex-President Lee tells PPP floor leader: 'Fight for the people'

People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik visited former President Lee Myung-bak on Monday to express gratitude for his campaign support during the June 3 local elections and to seek his advice on the direction the party should take.

Lee urged Jeong to keep the public in mind, saying the party should "fight not for the sake of fighting, but for the people."

Jeong met with Lee for about 45 minutes that afternoon at the Cheonggye Foundation in Seocho-gu.

According to Yonhap, Lee shook hands with Jeong and offered words of encouragement, saying, "You are taking on the floor leader role at a truly difficult time for the party. I think the role you need to play in the Assembly is even greater than the party's role right now."

Lee went on to say, "Cooperate where cooperation is due, but oppose to the end what must be opposed — and always keep the people in sight. Even if the other side won't listen, what truly matters is earning the public's recognition that what the opposition is saying is right, that it is helpful for the country."

He added, "Right now, the numbers simply aren't on your side. Winning the trust of the people is what counts, so even when you fight, fight with the people in mind. That is the only way a minority opposition can wield real influence. You must have the people behind you."

Lee also said that from the outside the party may appear divided, but that "things always get noisy when times are hard." He urged the party to "work together wisely" regardless.

Jeong said he had come to thank Lee personally, telling him, "The June 3 local elections were an extremely difficult race for our party. I came today to express my gratitude for the support you gave our candidates during that difficult time."

He also said, "The party is struggling internally, and I believe the Lee Jae Myung government's heavy-handed actions are worse than anything we have seen under any previous administration. I came to seek your wise counsel on how the party should move forward in these difficult times." He added, "As you have said, we will always keep the people in our sights as we press ahead."

Speaking to reporters after the closed-door meeting, Jeong said Lee had stressed that "winning the 2028 general election through party unity is the most important thing."

Lee also expressed overall disappointment over the recent cabinet reshuffle, and said of the nomination of Kim Seung-won as justice minister candidate that it was "completely transparent — it must be blocked to the end," Jeong said.

Jeong added, "I understood that to be a reference, ultimately, to the special prosecutor bill seeking the withdrawal of indictments."

Jeong presented Lee with an orchid inscribed with a phrase from the Book of Odes: "Gosan angji, gyeonghaeng haengji" — "Look up to the high mountain and walk the great road."

Jeong explained the gift's intent, saying, "During former President Lee's time in office, he championed the 'Korean Peninsula advancement policy,' which helped the country overcome the financial crisis early. The idea was to take inspiration from that pragmatic approach."

Joining Jeong on the visit were Assembly member Lee Sang-hwi, who served as public relations planning secretary and Chunchugwan director under the Lee administration, and Assembly member Park Su-min, who served as a presidential aide at Cheong Wa Dae at the time.

Jeong had also visited former President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday and invited her to the party's lawmakers' workshop. Park accepted the invitation and attended the workshop on Thursday, where she delivered a lecture.