President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a luncheon with the ruling and opposition party leaders held at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul on the 22nd. From left, clockwise: Kang Hoon, Chief of Staff, Kim Byeong-ki, Acting Chairman and Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, President Lee, Kim Yong-tae, Chairman of the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee, Song Eon-seok, Floor Leader, and Woo Sang-ho, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs. /Courtesy of the Presidential Office

Lee Jae-myung, the president, faced strong backlash from members of the People Power Party regarding his decision to not attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit.

On the 22nd, Na Kyung-won, a member of the People Power Party, criticized on Facebook, saying, "This is a self-imposed abandonment of strategic alliances with countries that share freedom, democracy, and the rule of law." She continued, "This could weaken the trust of our allies and diminish Korea's diplomatic and security posture," emphasizing that "What is needed now is not silence and avoidance, but active diplomacy that strategically explains our position and secures the initiative in negotiations."

Member Yoon Sang-hyun stated, "Considering the possibility of a meeting with President Trump, this NATO summit is a significant opportunity that must not be missed diplomatically," adding, "In a situation where the world is watching whether the Lee Jae-myung government will align with the free world or continue the pro-North Korea and pro-China policies of the Moon Jae-in administration, this meeting should serve as a judgment stone and an opportunity to dispel mistrust of President Lee's past diplomatic line."

Member Kim Jae-seop criticized, saying, "The president's excuse of focusing on 'domestic issues' and 'Middle Eastern affairs' while just watching China and Russia is quite feeble," noting that "The ambiguity of 'Lee Jae-myung-style ambiguity' has been broken." He added, "In the first diplomatic test for the Lee Jae-myung government, the president has betrayed national interests, pointing out that diplomacy that caters to China and Russia harms national interests and narrows international standing. Strategic ambiguity only makes Korea's fate ambiguous."

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