"President Lee Jae-myung returns home, 이재명 대통령 귀국"
As of April 25, President Lee Jae-myung has returned from his state visit to Vietnam, sparking mixed reactions from ruling and opposition parties regarding his diplomatic achievements. Meanwhile, the National Assembly has been busy with standing committee reviews, and preparations for the June 3 local elections are intensifying. Key points of contention, such as the adjustment of investigative powers and election strategies for the metropolitan area, dominated the political landscape this week.
Political Briefing — April 25, 2026
Top 3 Political Issues
1. President Lee Jae-myung returns from Vietnam state visit
- What happened: President Lee Jae-myung returned home after concluding his diplomatic schedule, including a friendly meeting with Vietnamese officials at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi. The visit focused on strengthening economic and trade ties.
- Context: With intensifying tariff pressures from the U.S., diversifying economic diplomacy with key ASEAN nations has become a core task for the Lee Jae-myung administration.
- Reactions: The ruling Democratic Party highlighted the visit as a success for pragmatic diplomacy, while the People Power Party questioned the tangible economic results and its consistency with U.S. relations.
- Impact: Strengthening ASEAN networks may serve as diplomatic leverage for upcoming U.S.-China trade negotiations later this year.
2. June 3 local election jockeying and PPP challenges
- What happened: The People Power Party (PPP) is struggling to select a Gyeonggi Province gubernatorial candidate and is considering an independent campaign committee. Reports also suggest internal friction in Seoul regarding leadership changes.
- Context: The June 3 local elections act as a midterm evaluation of the first year of the Lee Jae-myung government, making the battle for the metropolitan area a critical turning point.
- Reactions: Democratic Party candidates, such as Han Jun-ho, are actively campaigning on the theme of proving the success of the administration's pragmatic policies. The PPP remains internally divided over leadership reform and candidate selection.
3. National Assembly plenary session and legislation
- What happened: On April 23, the National Assembly held a plenary session along with several key committee meetings, including Education, Defense, and Agriculture.
- Context: The Democratic Party continues to lead the legislative agenda in the 22nd National Assembly. A major focus is the reform of the prosecution's investigative powers. Lawmaker Jung Chung-rae reiterated his firm stance against allowing prosecutors any investigative authority.
- Impact: The potential passage of legislation to separate investigation and indictment would force a structural change within the prosecution, though the opposition is attempting to block these efforts.
Key Assembly & Government Activities
- Education Committee: Held a bill review subcommittee meeting on April 23.
- Defense Committee: Conducted a plenary session on April 23 to address defense issues.
- Trade Updates: Following the Vietnam trip, government ministries resumed normal operations on April 24, with follow-up economic cooperation plans expected.
Party Movements
- Democratic Party (Ruling): Focusing on the Gyeonggi primaries, with candidates emphasizing their synergy with the Lee Jae-myung administration.
- People Power Party (Opposition): Dealing with the absence of a Gyeonggi candidate and internal debates over leadership, while trying to check the ruling party’s legislative dominance.
Media Analysis
- Kyunghyang Shinmun: Called for a thorough investigation into testimonies regarding property dealings involving the father of Yoon Suk-yeol.
- JoongAng Ilbo: Analyzed the political implications of Kim Yong, former Vice Director of the Institute for Democracy, expressing an intent to run for office while awaiting a Supreme Court ruling.
- Hankyoreh: Focused on the legislative battle over prosecution powers and the aggressive push by lawmakers like Jung Chung-rae.
Upcoming Schedule
- April 25: Coordination between floor leaders on pending issues.
- Early May: 30-day countdown to the local election nomination deadline.
- June 3: 9th Simultaneous Local Elections and by-elections.
- TBD: Supreme Court ruling on Kim Yong, which could significantly impact the political climate depending on its timing.
Final Take
With President Lee Jae-myung back and looking to consolidate his mandate, the main question for the immediate future is whether the opposition, currently struggling with internal discord in the metropolitan area, can find a path to a turnaround before the June 3 elections.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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