16 Years Without Presidential Meetings; Ruling Camp in Decline Post-Local Elections

Meetings between former and current presidents have not taken place for 16 years.

In Chicago, the opening of the 'Obama Presidential Center' saw former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden attending with their spouses, showcasing harmony. However, domestically, the last presidential invitation from the Blue House was in 2010 when then-President Lee Myung-bak invited former presidents following the Cheonan sinking incident, but only former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Kim Young-sam attended, and no such invitations have been extended since.

President Kim Dae-jung invited former President Chun Doo-hwan, who had sought his execution, to the Blue House over 10 times. President Roh Moo-hyun also hosted a dinner for former Presidents Kim Dae-jung, Chun Doo-hwan, and Roh Tae-woo at the Blue House in January 2004.

Recent criticisms are surfacing regarding governance styles, coinciding with the ruling party and government's simultaneous decline following the local election results. The recent local election outcomes are analyzed as a warning to the administration, with the president's approval ratings continuing to fall. The Democratic Party is also suffering from internal divisions, leading to predictions that their governing capacity will weaken over the next two years.