Moon to meet ruling, opposition party leaders

President Moon Jae-in was set to hold a rare meeting with ruling and opposition party leaders Wednesday, where he was widely expected to seek their support for the new government and its policies.

The five-way meeting involving ruling Democratic Party chief Choo Mi-ae and the leaders of three opposition parties was to be held over lunch at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae.

The three opposition party leaders are Park Joo-sun of the liberal People's Party, Lee Hye-hoon of the splinter conservative Bareun Party and Lee Jeong-mi of the progressive Justice Party.

Hong Joon-pyo of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party said he would boycott the meeting.

Moon proposed the meeting to explain the outcome of the recent Group of 20 summit held in Germany where he also held a series of bilateral talks with key global leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

However, Wednesday's meeting was rather expected to discuss the recent political impasse that had nearly paralyzed the opposition-led parliament.

The People's Party ended its prolonged boycott of parliamentary sessions following what it called an apology from the president over remarks from the ruling party leader attacking the opposition party.

Still, the rival parties remain unable to narrow their gap over a government request for an 11.2 trillion-won (US$9.96 billion) supplementary budget nearly two months after it was submitted.

Cheong Wa Dae officials said the luncheon will be immediately followed by a separate meeting of the five participants behind closed doors, noting they will likely discuss recent political issues there.

The ruling and opposition parties again failed to reach an agreement on the extra budget bill in the last previously scheduled plenary session of the parliament Tuesday.

They have agreed to again seek a breakthrough Wednesday.

The meeting also comes shortly before Moon's de facto transition team will announce key policy objectives and tasks for the new government in the afternoon.

Source: Yonhapnews