Lee to meet with presidential candidate Park

President Lee Myung-bak is set to meet with ruling party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye on Sept. 2 following her primary win earlier this month, a source said Friday.

"The meeting was organized after Park requested a meeting with the president following her recent election at the Saenuri Party primary," a ranking official at the presidential office told Yonhap by phone.

Lee will also meet with the opposition party candidate if the elected candidate requests a meeting, the official added.

Park, the eldest daughter of former president Park Chung-hee and a former Saenuri Party leader, was elected the ruling party's presidential candidate after scoring a landslide victory at its national convention on Aug. 20.

The victory of Park marked the first time a major political party in Korea has picked a female presidential candidate. She also became the first offspring of a former president to become a presidential candidate.

Presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha said the two may discuss strategies for South Korea's development, but said they will not speak on the upcoming presidential election in December.

The Sept. 2 event will mark their first meeting since December 22, when Lee discussed former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's death with ruling and opposition party officials. (Yonhap)