Song Gi-in, a priest known as 'the mentor of Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in,' met with Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, on the 22nd and said, 'It's not just about being well-fed.' This remark came as candidate Lee, who positions himself as centrist and conservative, announced a series of growth-first 'mealsanoism' policies while veteran Song expressed criticism of the presidential campaign promises.
Candidate Lee met with Song Gi-in in the afternoon at an undisclosed location in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do. Priest Song, known as the father of the Busan democratization movement, is well known as a senior figure from whom former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in sought political advice.
At this meeting, Priest Song criticized the Democratic Party's push for the 'Southeastern Regional Industrial Investment Corporation' or 'Southeastern Regional Development Bank' instead of the transfer of the Busan Industrial Bank, saying, 'This is something the Prime Minister (not the President) should do.' He urged the candidate to expand discussions beyond economic issues, which he primarily emphasizes during the presidential campaign, to include diplomacy and social matters.
Priest Song said, 'When I see the candidate making campaign promises, it's not just about being well-fed, but he talks only about the economy,' adding, 'This is a presidential election, not an election for a governor or district chief. Among local promises, there is content about handing over the bank, which should be the job of the Minister of the Interior or the Prime Minister.'
As the conversation began with 'critical remarks,' the candidate's side appeared somewhat flustered. Kang Yu-jeong, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea's election committee, asked immediately after Priest Song's remarks, 'Would you like to make an opening statement first?' Candidate Lee replied, 'That's the intent (of the opening statement), so let him continue.'
Priest Song also commented, 'In a presidential election, one must consider the entire planet; although there are local leaders responsible for minor issues, I wonder if there is anything else to discuss besides economic matters,' stating, 'Diplomacy encompasses a broader context, and fixing what has been messed up will not be an easy task.'
He added, 'There are many difficult issues, but we are getting wrapped up in minor matters and causing a fuss about them; what is there to criticize about others?' and said, 'If I say I'm doing things related to the economy, that would suffice.'
After finishing the discussion with Priest Song, candidate Lee met with reporters and said, 'What the priest meant was, during the presidential election, why focus on trivial issues to criticize?' He added, 'As you know, South Korea is a trading nation that relies on exports, so we shouldn't conduct diplomacy too narrowly or be careless.'