Moon to meet floor leaders of five major parties this week

By a2017001

Published : May 17, 2017 - 17:01 Updated : May 17, 2017 - 17:01

President Moon Jae-in is set to meet with the floor leaders of the five major parties later this week to call for their support in state management, a senior presidential official said Wednesday.

Moon will hold a luncheon meeting with the floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party, main opposition Liberty Korea Party, People's Party, Bareun Party and Justice Party at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Friday, the official said.

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a National Security Council session at his office in Seoul on May 14, 2017. (Cheong Wa Dae)

"As President Moon stressed 'cooperative governance' during his visits to the ruling and opposition parties on his inauguration day (last Wednesday), he will seek their cooperation in running state affairs," the official said, declining to be named.

Earlier in the day, Choi Myung-ghil, a spokesman for the People's Party, said that Jun Byung-hun, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, had officially proposed the talks with the political leaders.

The agenda for the meeting is expected to include the upcoming parliamentary confirmation hearing for Prime Minister-nominee Lee Nak-yon, North Korea's relentless saber-rattling and Moon's push to secure extra budget to create jobs, observers said.

The meeting is seen as part of Moon's efforts to build cooperative ties with opposition parties, which are crucial when the ruling party remains far short of a majority in the 299-seat National Assembly.

The Democratic Party holds 120 seats, while the Liberty Korea Party has 107. The People's Party and Bareun Party control 40 and 20 seats, respectively. The Justice Party has six seats. (Yonhap)