President Lee to Meet Park Today
By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak will meet Park Geun-hye, former chairwoman of the Grand National Party (GNP) to discuss pending state issues at Cheong Wa Dae on Saturday.
Though the presidential office declined to comment on a detailed agenda, Lee will likely seek cooperation from Park over administrative affairs while his approval rate fell to the 25 percent level.
After Lee won the presidential election, he has kept lawmakers supporting Park, who was one of the GNP presidential hopefuls, at a distance.
As his approval rate continued to fall in the wake of the government's continuous disappointments with policies like U.S. beef imports and the cross-country canal project, critics said, Lee has been forced to seek advice and coordination from Park.
Other factors pulling down Lee's approval rate include a series of irregularities of some of his secretaries.
An interesting issue is whether Lee will follow Park's suggestion, who has said the government should hold renegotiations with the United States over the beef import rules.
While citizens are holding a series of candlelit vigils over the beef deal, the Lee administration said renegotiations are not possible. The government only promised to halt imports when a case of mad cow disease occurred in the U.S.
Sources said Park has expressed her willingness not to take on the GNP chairwoman again even if the President offers the post.
Instead, she has asked that lawmakers-elect loyal to her be permitted to rejoin the party.
Their meeting has been confirmed by people close to Park who said the two leaders plan to meet before Park leaves for Australia and New Zealand on Saturday.
The meeting is the first since Lee and Park met on Jan. 23.
Park, who fought a close primary race last year for GNP's presidential ticket, is President Lee's main rival in the ruling camp.
Park has loyal followers in the ruling party and helped secure victories in last month's parliamentary elections for several of her supporters.