Jeong Cheongrae, After Welcoming President Lee's Return, Says "Life Is About Being Shaken and Soaked"

For President Lee: "A Global Leader in Every Respect"

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who has been under pressure from the pro-Lee faction and others to give up his bid for re-election as party leader, remarked on the 18th, "Isn't life about being shaken and weathering the storms?" He made these comments after welcoming President Lee Jaemyung, who had just returned from a tour of Europe, at Seongnam Airport and then attending a members' meeting at the National Assembly.

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at a members' meeting held ahead of the plenary session at the National Assembly on the 18th. Photo by Yonhap News.

Jeong's remarks appear to reference a line from the poem "A Flower That Does Not Shake" by former lawmaker Do Jonghwan, a member of the pro-Moon Jae-in faction. The poem contains the phrases, "Where is a flower that blooms without being shaken?" and "Where is a flower that blooms without getting wet?" Through this poem, Jeong is interpreted to have expressed his determination to confront the current demands within the party for his resignation head-on.

During President Lee's recent overseas trip, tensions between the pro-Lee faction and non-mainstream groups within the party reached their peak; however, with Jeong attending the welcoming event upon Lee's return, it is assessed that the worst-case scenario has been averted for now.

On this day, Jeong praised President Lee's diplomatic achievements and stressed the importance of internal party unity. He said, "I pay my respects to these unprecedented diplomatic achievements," and added, "He has fully demonstrated his stature as a global political leader."

Regarding President Lee sitting next to U.S. President Donald Trump and engaging in an extended conversation during the official dinner at the G7 summit, Jeong described it as "an iconic moment that will be remembered in the history of Korean diplomacy."

He continued, "Now is the time for the party, government, and Blue House to unite and actively participate in President Lee's efforts to establish peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula," emphasizing, "Let us unite and come together around President Lee."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.