Former President Park Geun-hye will attend a lawmakers' workshop and retreat that the People Power Party (PPP) is holding ahead of the regular parliamentary session in September.
According to political sources on the 24th, Park will join the PPP retreat set for the 27th and 28th in Ilsan, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The plan follows an invitation conveyed recently by PPP Floor Leader Jung Jum-sik during a visit to Park's private residence in Dalseong County, Daegu.
Retreats are typically attended by the sitting president or feature a congratulatory message from the incumbent, making a direct appearance by a former president unusual. During the June 3 local elections, Park also campaigned for PPP candidates in the Gangwon, Chungcheong and Yeongnam regions at their request, maintaining close ties with party figures.
Park is regarded as an elder statesman within the party, having served as party leader and emergency committee chair of the Grand National Party and the Saenuri Party — the PPP's predecessors — before being elected president. Attention is now focused on whether she will use the retreat to deliver a message aimed at healing internal party divisions and redefining the party's direction ahead of the next general election.
The first day of the retreat will feature a comprehensive discussion of party reform measures, key policies to be pursued during the regular session and response strategies on pending issues, followed by breakout sessions by standing committee. Special lectures by outside experts in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), foreign affairs and security, and conflict resolution are also scheduled.
The second day will host a "2030 Youth Talk" addressing young people's main concerns, including real estate, stocks and employment. This will be followed by open discussion, after which participants will adopt and announce a resolution.
