LEE PREPARES FOR FULL-SCALE CAMPAIGNING

[Anchor Lead]

Having survived the parliamentary inspection of government affairs, Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is getting ready for full-scale campaigning. He will soon step down from governorship, meet with former party leader Lee Nak-yon, his greatest rival from the primary election, and sit down with the president. But the very important meeting with Lee Nak-yon hasn’t been scheduled yet, pushing back his resignation to next week.

[Pkg]

The Democratic Party claims its presidential candidate successfully cleared his name at the National Assembly’s inspection of government affairs.

[Soundbite] Song Young-gil(Democratic Party Chair(Oct. 21, KBS Radio)) : "It's another blow to the People Power Party. Inadequate questions again demonstrated how empty their accusations were."

Now Lee Jae-myung has to review his next steps. He is carefully reviewing the timing for stepping down from his governor position.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(DP Presidential Candidate) : "I’m still thinking about ways to minimize disruption to provincial affairs. I’ll need a bit more time."

Some speculated he would announce resignation Friday, but it appears the announcement will be delayed until next week. His priority: a meeting with Lee Nak-yon. He intends to forge a message of unity and form an integrated election committee. But the Gyeonggi governor hasn’t had a chance to meet the former DP leader. There was a phone meeting between the two on Wednesday. Lee Jae-myung called Lee Nak-yon to set up a channel of communication. But Lee Nak-yon’s aides hinted at his disapproval when this call was reported prematurely... and criticized that Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil was pressuring his predecessor by saying that a meeting between him and Lee Jae-myung was imminent. Lee Nak-yon’s associate said the former DP leader’s meeting with the DP presidential candidate should not be done like homework before meeting with the president, suggesting that it would take some time before the two men actually sat down for talks. A meeting with President Moon Jae-in will likely come after that. The top office also agrees that the party must unite first. On Friday, Lee Jae-myung visited two symbolic places for the Democratic Party: the May 18th National Cemetery and Bongha village, the hometown of the late President Roh Moo-hyun.