By Kang Seung-woo
President Park Geun-hye will meet the newly elected floor leaders and chief policymakers of the three major parties on Friday, according to the ruling Saenuri Party.
It will be the first time Park has met the floor leaders of opposition parties since July 2014.
“Park will meet with the floor leaders at 3 p.m. Friday at Cheong Wa Dae,” Saenuri Party floor leader Chung Jin-suk told reporters at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
“The meeting will serve as a meaningful time as the President and the floor leaders are expected to focus on how they can cooperate to improve life for the people and advance other legislative priorities.”
During a Cabinet meeting, Park expressed hopes that the talks will pave the way for the government and parliament to make concerted efforts for state affairs.
The participants will be Saenuri Party floor leader Chung and chief policymaker Kim Gwang-lim, Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) floor leader Woo Sang-ho and its chief policymaker who will be appointed today, and People’s Party floor leader Park Jie-won and chief policymaker Kim Song-sik.
The meeting comes after Park vowed to meet the leaders of rival parties as often as possible to strengthen communication following the ruling party’s defeat in the general election last month.
In the meeting, they are also expected to exchange opinions about recent issues such as the controversial anti-corruption law, better known as the “Kim Young-ran law,” the humidifier disinfectant scandal that killed more than 140 people and corporate restructuring involving ailing shipbuilders and shipping companies.
The Saenuri Party’s chairmanship has been vacant since former Chairman Kim Moo-sung stepped down after the general election, so the party leaders would be excluded from the meeting.