President Park Geun-hye will resume her official schedule early next week after a weeklong respite following her intense 12-day trip to Africa and France, her aides said Friday.
Her schedule is expected to begin on Monday at the National Assembly as Park is determined to address one of her pressing tasks --setting the tone for smooth cooperation with the opposition-led legislature, which is critical for advancing her agenda for economic revitalization.
The relations between Park and the opposition bloc have been shaky as they were at loggerheads over a set of issues including the passage of a bill that allows parliamentary committees to open hearings more frequently on what they deem important.
Park vetoed the contentious bill, drawing the ire of the opposition parties.
Seeking to reset her ties with the opposition camp, Park will deliver a speech to mark the launch of the new legislature, which officially began its four-year term on May 30.
The schedule for her speech at the assembly has yet to be finalized. But the presidential Cheong Wa Dae said that it is "customary" for the chief executive to deliver a speech to celebrate the launch of parliament.
The speech is likely to be designed to drum up legislative support for her drive to create jobs and reinvigorate the economy, and reset relations with the newly-elected assembly on a high note, political observers said.
With assembly speaker Rep. Chung Sye-kyun having cut affiliation with the Minjoo Party of Korea, the main opposition party now has 122 seats in the 300-member assembly -- the same number of seats for the ruling Saenuri Party. The minor opposition People's Party holds 38 seats.
Should she visit the parliament, Park is also expected to meet Chung and the leaders and floor chiefs of the ruling and opposition parties.
Sometime next week, Park should preside over a meeting with leaders of public organizations. (Yonhap)
