Dec 1‑2, 2025 – Liberal activists rally at National Assembly Station to mark the first anniversary of former President Yoon Suk‑yeol’s Dec 3, 2024 martial‑law declaration, while President Lee Jae‑Myung attends the liberal rally and conservative supporters hold separate protests demanding Lee’s resignation and defending the martial‑law measure[18].

Dec 9, 2025 – President Lee Jae‑Myung tells DP Chair Jung Chung‑rae and floor leader Kim Byung‑ki to push key reform bills “in a way that meets the public’s expectations,” stressing transparent legislation amid controversy over judiciary reforms[16].

Dec 9, 2025 – At the same dinner, Lee discusses the DP’s push for a special tribunal to try insurrection cases linked to Yoon’s failed martial‑law bid and for punitive measures against judges and prosecutors who distort legal principles, highlighting the political stakes of the reforms[17].

Jan 1, 2026 – President Lee hosts a New Year’s meeting with leaders from politics, the judiciary, government, business and labor, while the People Power Party boycotts the gathering over tensions surrounding judiciary‑reform bills[15].

Jan 12, 2026 – In a luncheon with Buddhist, Protestant and Catholic leaders, Lee vows to “spare no effort to move Korea toward an inclusive society,” calling unity “the most important role of a president” and urging faith communities to help heal social conflict[13].

Jan 12, 2026 – Lee announces a bipartisan luncheon for Friday that will bring together the DP, the PPP and five minor parties to exchange views on the economy and state affairs, noting that the PPP has not yet responded to the invitation[11].

Jan 15, 2026 – Cheong Wa Dae confirms the Friday bipartisan luncheon, lists the five minor parties invited, and reports that PPP leader Jang Dong‑hyeok begins a hunger strike, making his attendance unlikely[10].

Jan 16, 2026 – At the bipartisan luncheon, Lee urges cooperation on the Coupang data breach, Homeplus liquidity troubles and a GM Korea labor dispute, while PPP leader Jang Dong‑hyeok stays absent due to his hunger strike[8].

Jan 19, 2026 – Lee hosts a two‑hour dinner with DP leader Jung Chung‑rae and floor leader Han Byung‑do, seeking ground‑level input on public sentiment and discussing international politics and K‑culture, while the DP pledges solid support for the president in the new year[7].

Jan 21, 2026 – Lee schedules a New Year’s press conference at Cheong Wa Dae to unveil his 2026 policy vision on livelihoods, the economy, diplomacy, security and culture, marking his third such briefing since taking office[8].

Jan 22, 2026 – DP leader Jung Chung‑rae proposes swift, working‑level merger talks with the Rebuilding Korea Party ahead of the June 3 local elections, citing shared opposition to Yoon’s regime and past cooperation in launching the Lee administration[4].

Jan 22, 2026 – The DP erupts into an internal split over the merger; Supreme Council member Lee Un‑ju warns it could turn the party “into the party of Jung Chung‑rae and Cho Kuk,” likening the dispute to a civil war, while other factions accuse each other of power grabs[3].

Feb 2, 2026 – Preliminary candidate registration opens at the Gyeonggi Provincial Election Commission, initiating the first step toward the June 3 local elections; officials set May 14‑15, 2026 as the deadline for formal candidate filing[2].

Feb 3, 2026 – DP floor leader Han Byung‑do delivers a policy speech pledging sweeping judicial reforms, separation of prosecutorial investigative and indictment powers, and warns that former President Yoon Suk‑Yeol and allies “will not be able to escape the maximum sentence” when the court rules on Feb 19[1].

May 14‑15, 2026 – Candidates must complete official registration for the June 3 local elections, a critical deadline that compresses the campaign timeline[2].

June 3, 2026 – Voters elect mayors, governors, superintendents and local council members in 17 metropolitan cities and provinces, serving as a barometer of President Lee’s first‑year performance and the DP’s electoral strength[2].