President Lee Jae-myung's planned luncheon with leaders of the ruling and opposition parties was canceled on Thursday after the People Power Party leader abruptly declined to attend. The boycott stemmed from the passage of controversial judicial reform bills. The presidential office expressed deep regret over the missed opportunity for dialogue.
On February 12, 2026, in Seoul, President Lee Jae-myung had planned to host a luncheon at Cheong Wa Dae with Democratic Party (DP) leader Jung Chung-rae and People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok to discuss the economy and other pending issues, but the event was canceled due to Jang's last-minute boycott. Presidential secretary for political affairs Hong Ik-pyo told reporters that the meeting fell through because of the PPP chief's decision not to attend.
"The meeting was arranged to facilitate communication and cooperation on pending state affairs," Hong said. "In that regard, we express deep regret over missing the opportunity." Despite the cancellation, the Lee administration will continue to pursue "mutual respect and responsible dialogue" with political parties, he added.
Jang had initially accepted the invitation to convey public concerns about the economy but reconsidered following requests from senior party members after the judiciary committee passed controversial judicial reform bills. During a Supreme Council meeting two hours before the scheduled luncheon, Jang stated, "They will try to cover up the sound of the Republic of Korea's judicial system with a photo of the president shaking hands with the ruling and opposition party leaders," and called for the bills to be scrapped.
The development occurred a day after the National Assembly's legislation and judiciary committee approved bills allowing constitutional appeals in cases finalized by the Supreme Court and increasing the number of Supreme Court justices from 14 to 26. The PPP has strongly opposed the DP-led measures, framing them as attempts to shield President Lee's legal risks.
